Law of Russia

Law of Russia
Name	Russian legal system
Native name	Российское право
Jurisdiction	Russia
Constitution	Constitution of Russia
Courts	Constitutional Court of Russia, Supreme Court of Russia
Legislature	Federal Assembly (Russia)
Executive	President of Russia, Government of Russia
Citation	Civil code, Criminal Code

Law of Russia is the body of rules and institutions governing public and private relations in the Russian Federation, shaped by centuries of development from medieval principalities to the present federal state. Its current structure rests on the Constitution of Russia and an array of codes, statutes, and judicial practice influenced by periods such as the Kievan Rus', the Muscovy, the Russian Empire, the October Revolution, the Soviet Union, and the post-1991 transition. Key actors include the Federal Assembly (Russia), the President of Russia, the Government of Russia, the Constitutional Court of Russia, and the Supreme Court of Russia.

History

Russian legal history traces from customary law in Kievan Rus' and the codification in the Russkaya Pravda to imperial legal reforms under Peter the Great and the Great Reforms of Alexander II. The 19th-century development featured the introduction of the Judicial Reform of Alexander II and codification efforts culminating in the Criminal Code of the Russian Empire and the Civil Code of the Russian Empire. The October Revolution replaced imperial law with Soviet legal order under institutions like the Council of People's Commissars and the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, producing the RSFSR Constitution (1918), RSFSR Constitution (1937), and Brezhnev Constitution. After the Dissolution of the Soviet Union the 1993 Constitution of Russia reorganized federal structure, leading to major legislative acts such as the Civil Code of the Russian Federation, the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, and reforms affecting the Prosecutor General's Office (Russia) and Ministry of Justice (Russia).

Constitutional Framework

The supreme law is the Constitution of Russia adopted in 1993, which establishes separation of powers among the President of Russia, the Federal Assembly (Russia), and the Judicial system of Russia. Constitutional review is exercised by the Constitutional Court of Russia, which adjudicates disputes involving federal organs, constituent entities such as Moscow, Saint Petersburg, and Republic of Tatarstan, and oversees treaty conformity like commitments under the European Convention on Human Rights prior to the 2020s rearrangements. The constitution recognizes federal subjects including Republics of Russia, Krais of Russia, Oblasts of Russia, and federal cities, shaping competencies related to legislation, taxation, and jurisdiction applied by institutions like the Central Bank of Russia.

Sources of Law and Legal System

Primary sources include the Constitution of Russia, federal constitutional laws such as the Federation Treaty (1992), federal laws enacted by the Federal Assembly (Russia), presidential decrees by the President of Russia, government regulations by the Government of Russia, and codes exemplified by the Civil Code of the Russian Federation and Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. International obligations arise from treaties like the Geneva Conventions and agreements with entities such as the United Nations and the Eurasian Economic Union. Legal scholarship and judicial interpretations from the Supreme Court of Russia, decisions of the Constitutional Court of Russia, and commentary by the Academy of Sciences of the USSR/Russian Academy of Sciences inform application of statutes.

Branches of Law (Criminal, Civil, Administrative, etc.)

Criminal law is codified in the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation and prosecuted under procedures in the Code of Criminal Procedure (Russia), with matters involving offenses like corruption prosecuted by the Investigative Committee of Russia and the Federal Security Service (FSB). Civil law governs obligations, property, succession, and contracts under the Civil Code of the Russian Federation, with commercial disputes heard under frameworks involving the Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian Federation and courts handling bankruptcy under the arbitrazh courts lineage now integrated into the Supreme Court of Russia. Administrative law regulates public administration, licensing, and fines involving agencies such as the Federal Tax Service (Russia), while labor relations are governed by the Labour Code of the Russian Federation and adjudicated in labor disputes referencing unions like the Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Russia. Family law, inheritance law, environmental law, and intellectual property law are shaped by statutes such as the Law on Copyright and Related Rights (Russia) and international accords like the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights.

Court System and Judicial Independence

The judicial hierarchy centers on the Constitutional Court of Russia for constitutional issues and the Supreme Court of Russia as the highest judicial body for civil, criminal, and administrative cases. Lower federal courts include district courts, magistrate courts, and previously separate commercial (arbitrazh) panels now under unified jurisdiction, with appellate and cassation review. Specialized tribunals have addressed matters involving agencies like the Federal Security Service (FSB), Federal Customs Service (Russia), and Electoral Commission of Russia. Judicial independence concerns involve interactions among the President of Russia, the Federation Council (Russia), the Prosecutor General's Office (Russia), and international bodies including the European Court of Human Rights, raising debates about tenure, appointment by bodies such as the President of Russia and Federation Council (Russia), and disciplinary mechanisms.

Law Enforcement and Prosecutorial System

Executive enforcement rests with organs such as the Ministry of Internal Affairs (Russia), the Investigative Committee of Russia, the Federal Security Service (FSB), and the Federal Penitentiary Service. The prosecutorial system is centralized in the Prosecutor General's Office (Russia), which supervises legality across agencies and represents the state in major prosecutions. Regulatory enforcement involves the Federal Tax Service (Russia), the Federal Antimonopoly Service (Russia), and the Central Bank of Russia in financial supervision. Law enforcement cooperates internationally through mechanisms involving the Interpol and bilateral treaties with states like Belarus and China.

Legal Profession and Legal Education

The legal profession includes advocates admitted to bar associations such as the Federal Chamber of Advocates of the Russian Federation and in-house counsel operating under statutes overseen by the Ministry of Justice (Russia). Legal education is provided by institutions like Moscow State University, Saint Petersburg State University, Higher School of Economics, and regional law schools, with training shaped by curricula covering the Civil Code of the Russian Federation, Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, procedural codes, and professional ethics monitored by bodies including the Bar Association of Russia and faculties tied to the Russian Academy of Sciences.

Category:Law by country