Jurisdiction

Russia

Civil law system organised around a codified Constitution

Overview

Russia operates a civil law system in which codified statute is the principal source of law and judicial decisions are not formally binding precedent. The Constitution of 1993 establishes the Russian Federation as a federal state, sets out fundamental rights and freedoms, and declares itself of supreme legal force and direct effect. Constitutional review is exercised by a specialised Constitutional Court, which rules on the conformity of federal and regional legislation with the Constitution and on complaints concerning the violation of constitutional rights. Ordinary civil, criminal and administrative matters proceed through the courts of general jurisdiction, headed by the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation, alongside a separate system of commercial (arbitrazh) courts for economic disputes.

The archive currently holds 16 judgments catalogued under Russia, spanning 25 areas of law.

Court structure

  1. Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation
  2. Supreme Court of the Russian Federation
  3. Courts of appeal and cassation · Commercial (arbitrazh) courts
  4. District and city courts of first instance

Landmark cases

Constitutional lawDecision on the Priority of the Russian Constitution over International Human Rights RulingsConstitutional Court of the Russian Federation · 2015Constitutional lawDecision on the Constitutionality of the 2020 Amendments to the Russian ConstitutionConstitutional Court of the Russian Federation · 2020Environmental lawGreenpeace Arctic Sunrise Case (State v. Arctic Sunrise Crew)Murmansk Regional Court / Investigative Committee of Russia · 2013Criminal lawKhachaturyan Sisters CaseMoscow City Court · 2019Constitutional lawDecision on the Freedom of Assembly and Public Demonstrations (Judgment No. 14-P)Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation · 2013Criminal lawJudgment on Article 212.1 of the Criminal Code (Dadin Case)Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation · 2017Corporate lawYukos Shareholders v. Russian Federation (Tax & Reorganization Proceedings)Constitutional Court / Supreme Court / Commercial Courts of Russia · 2004Civil lawDefense of Honor, Dignity and Business Reputation (Constitutional Court Clarification)Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation · 2021Criminal procedureDecision on the Right to Legal Counsel in Pre-Trial Detention (Maslov Case)Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation · 2000Civil lawDecision on the Protection of Private Property Rights against Arbitrary ExpropriationConstitutional Court of the Russian Federation · 2019Constitutional lawDecision on the Restitution of Property to Victims of Political RepressionsConstitutional Court of the Russian Federation · 2019Family lawDecision on the Application of Paternity Determination and DNA Testing (Family Law)Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation · 2021Property lawThe Trans-Siberian Railroad Land Dispute (State Property vs. Municipal Rights)Supreme Arbitration Court of the Russian Federation · 2012Information lawThe Telegram Encryption Keys Case (Telegram Messenger LLP v. FSB)Supreme Court of the Russian Federation · 2018Constitutional lawCase on the Constitutionality of Presidential Decrees on Chechnya (Chechen War Case)Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation · 1995Constitutional lawCase on the Legality of Military Deployment in Internal Armed ConflictConstitutional Court of the Russian Federation · 1995

Timeline