Zhiheng News | "The Eye of Criminal Debate · The Way of Marking Papers" - The practical internal training from the triple perspective of criminal marking and public prosecution law was successfully completed

On August 21, 2026, the “Practical In-House Training on Criminal Case Review from the Perspectives of Prosecutors, Investigators, and Lawyers” was successfully held in the main conference room of

. This internal training session, themed “The Criminal Defense Perspective: The Art of Reviewing Case Files,” attracted numerous colleagues in the field of criminal defense, fostering a lively atmosphere of exchange. The moderator of this conference was Lei Shuai, Secretary-General of the Longhua Criminal Law Department of Zhiheng.

Event venue

Secretary-General of the Zhiheng Longhua Criminal Law Department, Lei Shuai

Opening Remarks

Li Zuhong, Deputy Director of the Commercial Crime Defense Department at Zhicheng Criminal Law Center

Director Li Zuhong delivered the opening address. He pointed out that reviewing case files is a fundamental skill in criminal defense. However, in practice, many lawyers—especially their younger colleagues—often feel at a loss when confronted with dozens or even hundreds of volumes of case materials: they either allow themselves to be led by the narrative presented in the files, or they identify isolated issues but fail to synthesize them into compelling arguments. He hopes that the three lawyers’ insights, distilled from their respective practical experience, will provide everyone with practical and actionable guidance.

Theme Presentation

Attorney Miao Xiuyu, Zhiheng Qianhai Law Firm

First, Attorney Miao Xiuyu took the stage and delivered a lecture titled “Reverse Case Review from a Public Security Investigation Perspective: Uncovering Hidden Defense Points.” He pointed out that investigative authorities operate under a “confirmation bias,” whereas defense counsel reviewing case files should adopt a reverse‑looking approach—examining the evidence before the statements, identifying gaps before focusing on what is already present. By retracing the standard investigative procedures in reverse, one can uncover selective evidence collection, procedural shortcuts, and evidentiary flaws.

He categorized the case file into seven major modules—procedural documents, interrogation records, physical and documentary evidence, identification records, expert opinions, and others—systematically explaining common issues and key review points for each. He also compiled a list of 28 types of typical evidentiary defects for reference and cross‑checking.

Deputy Director of the All-China Criminal Law Committee of Zhiheng,

Wei Yuanwen, Director of the Criminal Department at Zhiheng Guangzhou Law Firm

Subsequently, Attorney Wei Yuanwen, from the perspective of a prosecutor, presented “Insights from the Prosecution Case Review Report for Defense Counsel’s Examination of Case Files.” He deconstructed the structural logic of the public prosecution review report, pointing out that its functions—such as conducting a comprehensive review, preventing wrongful convictions, facilitating appellate review, and ensuring smooth transition to courtroom proceedings—are also of reference value for defense counsel.

For major and complex cases, he shared a five-step method for reviewing case files: first, draw a diagram of the relationships among the parties involved; second, skim the table of contents to develop a plan; third, carefully read the client’s file and mark key points; fourth, extract relevant evidence in reverse, focusing on the defense arguments; and finally, conduct a thorough review to identify and fill any gaps. By first establishing the framework and then fleshing it out, and by reading with specific questions in mind, one can efficiently extract critical information even from voluminous case files.

Deputy Secretary-General of the All-China Criminal Law Committee of Zhiheng

Fang Qihuan, Director of the Criminal Department, Zhiheng Longhua Law Firm

Finally, Attorney Fang Qihuan delivered a presentation on “Criminal Case File Review Practice: Methods and Tools.” He reminded everyone that “receiving does not necessarily mean receiving everything” and that, when collecting the discs, they should verify the password, the number of volumes, and the electronic data attachments on the spot. He introduced the “three-tier review method”: first, establish an outline to categorize the case materials; second, conduct a close reading focused on the key points of contention; and finally, cross-verify the case by using a timeline, a table of amounts, a diagram of the parties involved, and a procedural flowchart, breaking it down into the smallest factual units forOne by one verification.

He also shared several exam‑grading assistance tools, while emphasizing that any software‑generated output must be cross‑checked against the original case file, and the final judgment must be made by the attorney himself.

Free Discussion

Event venue

After the keynote presentation, the event moved into a networking session. The lawyers present actively participated in the discussion, engaging in an in-depth exchange with the three guest speakers on various challenging issues encountered in the practice of reviewing case files. There was frequent on-site interaction, and the atmosphere was lively.

Conclusion

Group photo

The essence of exam marking is to read the papers with specific questions in mind, rather than simply following the content of the examination materials. The three guest speakers in this internal training session, from the perspectives of investigative logic, the prosecution’s mindset, and defense practice, shared methods and tools for reviewing case files, all ultimately pointing in the same direction: uncovering evidentiary and procedural issues that the investigating authorities have overlooked, selectively omitted, or oversimplified within the text of the case file.

In the future,

will continue to launch more practice-oriented training series, working together with fellow criminal defense attorneys to enhance our skills. Looking forward to our next reunion.

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