Looking for romance? Then set a court date!

For those looking for romance, courtrooms may not be the first place that comes to mind, with their lack of privacy and solemn atmosphere.

However, many Chinese courts have lately invited citizens, particularly young couples, to “enjoy a date” in a courtroom.

In late October, the People’s Court Daily posted on its official microblog account a “dating tip” detailing the procedures for couples to attend a court hearing and encouraging them to use the occasion for dating. The post became an instant hit and was forwarded by many courts across the country.

“Classroom for legal education with real-life cases. Unscripted and no rehearsals. Brilliant dialogues and heated debates,” wrote the Daily in a following post.

“It’s free of charge. Come for a date. Seats are limited.”

The Intermediary People’s Court of Yinchuan, capital of the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, is one of the courts that forwarded the invitation.

“Attracting more people to attend court hearings can increase transparency and justice in trials,” said Yang Rui, a judge of a court in Yinchuan. “It also aims to raise legal awareness among citizens.”

Avoiding mistakes

Earlier this month, Niu Tengyao, a second-year student from a medical university in Yinchuan, and fellow students attended a court hearing in which three youngsters stood trial for robbing a used cellphone worth only 500 yuan (US$71).

“It dawned on us that if the youngsters had possessed some legal knowledge, they wouldn’t have made such mistakes,” said Niu, adding that he would use more of his spare time to go on such “dates” with his fellow students.

Similarly, other Chinese courts have also used creative means to demystify legal proceedings and raise legal awareness among citizens.

In mid-December, two judges from the Ningbo Intermediate People’s Court in east China’s Zhejiang Province livestreamed auctions of assets seized in lawsuits, including a sea-view mansion, a parking lot and mobile phone numbers, which received more than 8,000 views within an hour.