Lawyers from the Zixing People's Court in Central China's Hunan province, after some difficulties, finally resolved a dispute tied to elderly care.

A man surnamed Long and his wife gave birth to and raised three sons and two daughters. As the couple grew older and couldn't work any longer, they slipped into poverty. The wife, surnamed Fan, was hospitalized several times starting in 2013, costing the family more than 15,000 yuan ($2,250).

Originally, two of the old couple's sons — the oldest and the youngest – paid for part of the costs, but the middle son never contributed to his mother's treatment.

Later, however, all three sons refused to pay for more of their mother's hospital treatment expenses.

The old couple couldn't help but file a lawsuit against their three sons on Aug 11.

Lawyers look on as Fan fills out a lawsuit form in the hospital. [Photo by Wang Jing and Li Tiemei/People's Court Daily]

Since Fan is still hospitalized, lawyers from Zixing People's Court rushed to contact the three sons and offered to facilitate reconciliation at Long's home with his sons the next day.

However, the second son refused, saying he had to work that day. Lawyers drove dozens of miles to find the second son and after five hours of discussion — with the help of public assessors and village leaders — the three sons realized their responsibilities and agreed to care for their parents.

A lawyer talks with the wife of the second son and persuades the couple to accept the reconciliation. [Photo by Wang Jing and Li Tiemei/People's Court Daily]

They paid the remaining balance for the medical costs.

The reconciliation conference with the three sons at Long's home. [Photo by Wang Jing and Li Tiemei/People's Court Daily]