[5] — A record of Lawyer Wu Jinsong's mediation of a long-standing dispute over neighboring rights among indigenous residents in the stationed community

[6] One day in July this year, Lawyer Wu Jinsong, stationed at the Yangang Community in Yantian Street, was entrusted by Xiao X, an indigenous resident of Xishanxia Village, to negotiate a neighboring rights dispute with Wang XX. The details of the case are as follows:

Wang XX is from Hong Kong. The Xiao and Wang families were both neighbors and relatives, and initially got along without issues. Later, the Wang family raised the adjacent walkway by over 20 cm on their own, causing inconvenience for the Xiao family and causing the Wang family's septic tank to back up, emitting foul odors. The Xiao family repeatedly asked the Wang family to restore the original condition and repair the septic tank, but the Wang family, often living in Hong Kong and rarely in mainland China, ignored their requests. As a result, the two families stopped interacting, and the Xiao family, unable to tolerate the situation any longer, hired a lawyer to resolve the dispute.

After Lawyer Wu Jinsong inspected the site and understood the situation, he sent a "Lawyer's Letter" to Wang XX, pointing out that the other party's actions violated Article 83 of the General Principles of Civil Law and Article 92 of the Property Law. The "Lawyer's Letter" suggested: "As the adjacent party to the real estate of the client, you should face the existing problems and the fact of infringement. Within 15 days of receiving this letter, you should propose a written solution and immediately restore the original condition. Otherwise, once the client takes the matter to court, you will not only spend money and valuable time but also bear additional losses and seriously affect your credit, reputation, and even convenience for entry and exit! Therefore, we urge you to think carefully, act prudently, and negotiate (restoration and compensation) for a proper resolution!" The "Lawyer's Letter" combined legal, rational, and emotional appeals. After receiving it, Wang XX felt he was in the wrong and realized that not resolving the issue would not only harm his reputation but also lead to greater financial losses. With the mediation of Lawyer Wu and village officials, Wang XX agreed to make corrections and reached a consensus with Xiao X. The long-standing grudge was resolved in one go, and the Xiao and Wang families, both relatives and neighbors, resumed their interactions.

Zhiming Office

August 12, 2010