Stanley Lubman Examines Challenges Facing Chinese Environmental and Criminal Courts

-The Wall Street Journal, China Real Time Report, March 22, 2010 by Stanley Lubman
http://bit.ly/bC6P2c

In the face of ongoing serious damage to China’s environment caused by 30 years of historic economic development and weak enforcement of China’s environmental protection laws, environmental litigation is growing and a small number of experimental environmental courts have been established.

-The Wall Street Journal, China Real Time Report, March 26, 2010 by Stanley Lubman
http://bit.ly/9nsMtq

While the facts of the alleged conduct of four employees of the British-Australian company Rio Tinto Ltd. who were on trial this week for taking bribes and infringing trade secrets are obscure, the trial starkly exhibits some key characteristics of Chinese criminal justice. It demonstrates the usual limits on the ability of defense lawyers to fully represent their clients, a disturbing lack of transparency, and the impact of political influences on the proceedings and the outcome.