Court Personnel Management Reforms in China: Have They Enhanced Judicial Professionalism?

This study reviews the personnel management reforms in Chinese courts that began in 2014 and that aimed to enhance the professionalism of the judiciary. Reforms included instituting a judge quota system, reducing judges’ workloads, improving their compensation, and implementing a judicial “lifetime responsibility” system, wherein judges are held accountable for their judgments even after retirement or leaving the judiciary. Based on interviews with thirty-seven in-service and thirteen former judges from 2017 to 2023, this study demonstrates that the reforms have only partially enhanced judicial professionalism in China. The reforms have raised the threshold for becoming a judge and increased their decision-making autonomy. Yet, their workload remains heavy without significant increases in compensation, and public confidence in the judiciary has not improved substantially. Some judges want to leave their quota judgeships while retaining other judicial administrative positions. However, since this transition is difficult, some choose to leave the judiciary entirely. Finally, local governments still routinely intervene in the courts, thereby compromising judicial autonomy. This study provides valuable insights for future personnel management reforms to improve judicial professionalism in China.