Too Bad I Take Things Seriously

"Judgment Chief, my client, Tang Suiming, voluntarily turned himself in before the police arrived to apprehend him, which meets the conditions for a confession."

"And after arriving for investigation, he truthfully confessed his criminal acts and voluntarily explained the criminal behavior of others, reported and uncovered additional crimes, reducing societal harm, and should be granted significant sentence reduction."

"As for Liao Xiangming... after being apprehended, he also truthfully confessed, reducing the difficulty for police investigations, actively admitted his guilt, and is willing to bear the corresponding legal penalties."

"According to the criminal law, both individuals can have their respective sentences reduced, providing them with an opportunity to reform."

In the courtroom.

Zhang Wei eloquently argued, persistently emphasizing the aspects of his client that warrant a sentence reduction.

Meanwhile, the public prosecutor...

continued to accuse Tang Suiming and Liao Xiangming of their crimes: "Tang Suiming engaged in multiple illegal activities over the past thirteen years, causing immeasurable harm to society."

"Our court believes that even though there are circumstances of voluntary confession and reporting, this alone is insufficient for leniency."

According to litigation law.

Reductions should be applied before the verdict announcement, during the sentencing phase, adjusting the original sentence.

For instance.

Tang Suiming’s total accumulated sentence exceeds thirty-five years, but the actual sentencing is below twenty-five years.

If the court sentences him to twenty-five years, the reduction is applied to the twenty-five-year sentence.

It is not a reduction from the total sentence.

Otherwise...

If his accumulated sentence exceeds thirty-five years, reducing it by two or three years will still not lower it below thirty-five years.

"Judgment Chief, we disagree with the prosecutor’s perspective."

Zhang Wei took a deep breath and continued to refute: "Although my client has committed many acts harmful to society, his attitude towards admitting guilt is positive. According to ’criminal law,’ this should qualify as grounds for sentence reduction."

"Moreover, there are no circumstances of serious malicious crimes, and their right to a legally obtained reduction should not be deprived..."

Facing the public prosecutor.

Zhang Wei remained composed, consistently focusing his argument around several core points of sentence reduction.

Legal provisions specify.

Only those with severe malicious behaviors are disallowed sentence reduction; others have the freedom for reduction.

...

Jin City.

Nursing home.

In the courtyard.

"This kid Zhang Wei indeed has some skills, even I, an outsider, can tell he’s impressive."

Song Tiancheng casually commented while watching the projection screen.

The elderly around him nodded in agreement.

Zhang Wei’s debate...

is truly unmatched, especially in the area of sentence reduction, leaving many other lawyers trailing behind.

If they recall correctly...

The only case where he encountered a worthy opponent was when Qin Mu personally stepped in.

"It looks like Zhang Wei is in control; perhaps this attempt for sentence reduction might succeed."

"Reducing it or not, there’s still a 25-year sentence; not much will be reduced."

"There are over two hundred defendants left; right now, I just want to see their performances."

"Count these two kids lucky to have found Zhang Wei; he’s the only opponent Xiao Qin has in Jin City!"

"..."

The elderly around, while munching on sunflower seeds, enthusiastically commented.

Zhang Wei’s defense is all within legal bounds.

Unlike those unscrupulous lawyers.

Meanwhile.

Many people also felt Tang Suiming and Liao Xiangming were quite lucky.

Fortunately, they found Zhang Wei.

If they had hired another lawyer, aiming for a sentence reduction would not be this simple!

...

At the same time.

Study Law Alliance Forum.

A post...

suddenly exploded across the entire forum.

"Wow! This lawyer’s pretty intense, seems like a big shot; citing references like that isn’t something a typical lawyer does!"

Beneath this post.

Hundreds of replies appeared instantly.

First reply: No way? No way? You all don’t recognize this lawyer?

Second reply: Am I the only one who knows this lawyer?

Third reply: I can’t believe you call yourselves fans and don’t even know him?

Fourth reply: Pythagorean Theorem, you know? Yep, has absolutely nothing to do with him.

Fifth reply: The riddle player above, stop being cryptic, your ancestors must have all been teasing masters?

Sixth reply: Teasing? What teasing, I only know about hooks.

Seventh reply: Can any big shot provide a brief introduction? I want all the details about this lawyer in three minutes!

Eighth reply: Found it, this lawyer’s name is Zhang Wei, founder of Jin City’s Legal Pioneer Law Firm. There are many news articles about him online.

Ninth reply: I found it too; the bizarre part is he’s in every news with ’up’!

Tenth reply: Such a joke, appearing with ’up’! You guys don’t know, right? ’Up’ supports the entire Jin City’s lawyers! Zhang Wei’s firm was originally small, it thrived only by handling the cases ’up’ sent over!

Eleventh reply: Woah!! Eye-opening, ’up’ is crazy, supporting an entire industry?

Twelfth reply: It’s all about luck, not jealous over things I can’t have. Why can’t I encounter so many defendants?

Thirteenth reply: Stop being sour, even if you did, you wouldn’t know how to send them in.

Fourteenth reply...

For a moment.

Zhang Wei’s name spread throughout the forum.

As the court trial proceeded.

Most of the forum members were paying attention to the trial, all were amazed by Zhang Wei’s performance.

Besides the UP...

They rarely saw such an outstanding lawyer in court during a trial.

Many people at this moment suddenly became fans.

Unconsciously.

Zhang Wei became completely popular on the forum.

...

Jin City.

Court.

Second Criminal Court.

"Dong—"

The tense and intense debate session lasted for over an hour before Judgment Chief Zhou Quanmin knocked the gavel.

Announcing the end of this stage.

Then came the final statements from the defendants, with Tang Suiming and Liao Xiangming delivering their respective statements.

In this stage.

Both of them did not dare to stir up trouble, and obediently followed Zhang Wei’s instructions to make their statements.

Admitting their crimes, expressing their willingness to reform.

In the courtroom.

Zhou Quanmin looked down and nodded: "The trial of this case is temporarily concluded, and the verdict will be announced after all subsequent cases are processed!"

After going through the entire trial procedure.

He had basically ascertained the facts, but this case involved too many parties, which might require further investigation later.

It cannot be simply concluded with a verdict.

Therefore.

The most appropriate way is to conclude the trial of all two hundred and eighty-seven defendants collectively, and then pronounce judgment together.

"Now, we will proceed with the next case."

Immediately after.

Zhou Quanmin waved his hand, signaling the bailiffs to enter the courtroom.

Two bailiffs immediately came in.

Escorted Tang Suiming and Liao Xiangming out of the courtroom, and at the same time brought in a slightly overweight middle-aged defendant from the holding room.

This defendant...

Had a face full of defiance and resentment.

When brushing past Tang Suiming, he glared at Tang Suiming fiercely.

It seems...

There was some sort of deep-seated enmity with Tang Suiming.

"Dong—"

Zhou Quanmin saw this and said in a deep voice: "Now, we begin the trial of Wu Guangquan, the chairman of xx Cultural Transmission Co., Ltd., for illegal detention, kidnapping, extortion, and bribery of non-state personnel cases."

This Wu Guangquan...

Was precisely the one revealed by Tang Suiming, supposedly a "friend" he met during his business dealings.

However.

Tang Suiming did not hide anything about this friend, revealing all his criminal activities.

In the previous prosecutor’s sentencing recommendation.

A sentence of twenty-one years imprisonment was demanded, just four years less than Tang Suiming’s!

This shows how many criminal acts he committed, not less serious than Tang Suiming.

"Do you have any defenses regarding the crimes you were just accused of by the prosecutor?"

Zhou Quanmin stared at the foul-mouthed Wu Guangquan on the defendant’s stand and asked in a deep voice.

Upon hearing this, Wu Guangquan.

His face immediately turned even uglier.

Glaring deadly in the direction where Tang Suiming had left, he said coldly: "Betrayed by a brother, I have nothing to defend, you all know everything anyway."

Tang Suiming had already sold out all matters concerning him.

Otherwise, he wouldn’t have been caught by the police in Jin City during a massage session.

At this point.

Arguing is futile.

"Do you mean to waive your right to defense?"

Zhou Quanmin frowned, confirming once again.

As a party involved.

He has the right to waive this right, thus refusing to defend.

Wu Guangquan snorted coldly.

Simply stopped responding to Zhou Quanmin’s words.

"Please answer the question directly!"

Zhou Quanmin took a deep breath and urged in a deep voice.

Wu Guangquan shrugged his shoulders.

Reluctantly said, "I waive."

"Alright, let’s proceed to the evidence presentation and cross-examination stage now."

Zhou Quanmin took a deep look at this defendant, calmed his emotions, and continued to preside over the trial.

However...

His instincts told him that this defendant was far from being as honest as the previous Tang Suiming and Liao Xiangming.