Judges Turn Livestreamers: Court Sells Crabs to Help Repay Debt

When judges become livestream hosts, it's not a courtroom drama — it's a crab sale.

On the evening of October 31, three judges from the Gaochun District People's Court in Nanjing went live online to sell hairy crabs on behalf of a debtor family. The unusual broadcast, streamed on the Nanjing Intermediate People's Court's official account, attracted more than 200,000 viewers and countless amused comments.

"This is a male crab in my hand…" one judge began, smiling into the camera. For the next two and a half hours, the trio showcased the crabs, weaving in explanations about "quasi-personal bankruptcy" and debt restructuring between their sales pitches.

According to Nanjing Daily, the livestream was part of a special judicial asset liquidation program designed to help honest debtors sell their goods, repay debts, and promote public understanding of the law.

Viewers flooded the comments with praise. "Looks like judges have mastered e-commerce!" one quipped. Another wrote, "This kind of crossover shows the warmth of justice."

By the end of the stream, over 100 orders had been placed — nearly selling out the debtor's entire stock. The proceeds went directly into a court-supervised account for repayment.

The crabs came from the pond of a woman named Qiu Lan and her parents, who once made their living in ship transport, Nanjing Daily reported. More than a decade ago, a collision accident left them with massive debts. They turned to crab farming in their hometown, but repeated technical setbacks and poor harvests only deepened their financial troubles — at one point owing over 800,000 yuan (about US$112,000).

In September 2025, Qiu's parents applied for "quasi-personal bankruptcy." After reviewing their situation, the Gaochun court determined that the family's insolvency resulted from misfortune rather than evasion.

To help them, the court created a tailored "asset disposal + financial relief" plan. Proceeds from crab sales would go toward repaying debts, and for any remaining shortfall, the family could apply for a low-interest loan through the court's assistance.

Just as the crabs neared maturity, another challenge struck — unusually high temperatures delayed molting and threatened the harvest. Upon hearing this, the court reached out to National People's Congress deputy and aquaculture expert Xing Qingsong, who dispatched technicians to offer hands-on guidance.

Court staff told Nanjing Daily this was their first time selling fresh goods online. The event, prepared after work hours, was both a creative debt relief effort and a live lesson in public service and compassion.