Facts

Two sisters and one sister’s husband are the parties. Their late mother owned a property in Shanghai. On demolition, the sister who held the agency signed the expropriation compensation agreement and received RMB 5.6 million. At the time of expropriation the registered occupants were the plaintiff, her sister and the sister’s husband.

Issue

How the compensation should be divided between a registered occupant who had lived at the property and the sister who had handled the agreement, taking account of the succession to the late mother’s interest.

Approach

Ma Dehui acted for the plaintiff. The evidence established the plaintiff’s occupancy and her contributions to the household, distinguishing her statutory entitlement as an occupant from her inheritance share — two separate entitlements that are frequently merged in argument and should not be.

Outcome

The court urged mediation and the parties settled, with the plaintiff receiving a defined share of the compensation. Mediation in family expropriation disputes usually produces a better result than judgment: it preserves the relationship and avoids the delay of appeal.