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Judicial system of the Russian Federation
The existing judicial system of the Russian Federation was formed and is developed as a result of a judicial reform carried out in Russia from the beginning of the 90s with the purpose to create and maintain the judicial power in the state mechanism as an independent branch of power, free from political and ideological basis. Independent law courts are an important component of a democratic state based on a rule of law.
The Constitution of the Russian Federation of 1993 became the main legal basis for the introduction of the judicial reform. According to the Constitution the state power in the Russian Federation should be exercised on the basis of its division into legislative, executive and judicial powers, and all these branches should be independent.
The judicial system of the Russian Federation consists of:
· The Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation and constitutional courts of the republics and other subjects of the Russian Federation; the Constitutional Court considers cases relating to the compliance of the federal laws, normative acts of the President , the Council of the Federation, the State Duma, the Government of Russia, etc.
· Four-tiered system of courts of general jurisdiction. Three-tiered system of the military courts is an integral part of it. The Supreme Court of the Russian Federation is the supreme judicial body of this branch;
· Three-level system of arbitration courts with the Higher Arbitration Court of the Russian Federation as a supreme judicial body competent to settle economic disputes and other cases considered by arbitration courts. The system of the arbitration courts comprises: arbitration courts of the subjects of the Russian Federation; courts of arbitration districts and the Higher Arbitration Court.
The system of general jurisdiction courts has the following structure:
· all general jurisdiction rayon courts acting on the territory of Russia;
· the supreme courts of the republics, kray, oblast courts, city courts of Moscow and St.-Petersburg, courts of autonomous provinces and autonomous districts;
· military courts of armies, fleets, garrisons, and military formations.
The Supreme Court of the Russian Federation is the supreme judicial body for all courts of general jurisdiction, both civil and military.
Justices of the Peace are judges of the subjects of the Russian Federation and form an integral part of the system of courts of general jurisdiction. The reestablishment of the institute of Justices of Peace in Russia in 2000 is an important step in the course of development of the judicial and legal reform and provides for more operative and accessible protection for the citizens of the country. The Justices of the Peace are included into the structure of general jurisdiction courts. The law entrusts the Justices of the Peace with functions and duties equal for all the judges of Russia.
New words:
- ideological bias — идеологическая подоплека;
- to be determined — быть определенным;
- subjects of the Russian Federation — субъекты РФ;
- compliance — согласие, соответствие;
- procedural forms — процедурные формы;
- tier — звено;
- reestablishment — реорганизация;
- to entrust with functions — вверять функции;
- to empower — уполномочивать;
- accessible protection — доступная защита.
Questions to the text:
1. What was the purpose of a judicial reform carried out in Russia from the beginning of the 90s?
2. What became the main legal basis for the introduction of the judicial reform in Russia?
3. What is the structure of judicial system of the Russian Federation determined by?
4. What does the judicial system of the Russian Federation consist of?
5. What cases does the Constitutional Court of Russia consider?
6. What is the role of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation?
7. What is the role of the Higher Arbitration Court of Russia?
8. What does the system of the arbitration courts comprise?
9. What structure does the system of general jurisdiction have?
10. What is the role of the Justices of the Peace in Russia and what for was the reestablishment of the institute of JPs in Russia in 2000?
Exercise 2. Translate the following sentences into Russian:
1. Russian Federation is among civil countries that have built their legal systems on codified civil law.
2. Russian courts base their judgements on the provisions of codes and statues.
3. The system of judicial precedent is not recognized in Russian courts.
4. The System of Courts in Russia is established in accordance with the Constitution of the Russian Federation and the Federal Constitutional Law “On the Judicial System of the RF” of December, 31, 1996.
5. The existing judicial system of the RF is an independent branch of power, free from political and ideological bias.
6. The Constitution of the Russian Federation of 1993 became the main legal basis for the introduction of the judicial reform.
7. Independent, competent law court is an important component of a democratic state based on a rule of law.
8. The Supreme Court of the Russian Federation is the supreme judicial body for all courts of general jurisdiction, both civil and military.
9. Justices of the Peace are judges of the subjects of the RF and form an intergral part of the system of courts of general jurisdiction.
10. The law entrusts the Justices of the Peace with functions and duties equal for all the judges in Russia.
Exercise 3. Fill in the gaps with the words given below, translate the text into Russian: instance, interest, judicial, lower, acts, supervises, justices, tier, jurisdiction