Abstract: This article discusses the features of municipal formation: the territory; charter; competence, including the right to introduce their own legal acts, including regulations, as well as the right to impose taxes, in accordance with the law; municipal property; budget; administrative center; name; official symbols. The author considers a controversial opinion, according to which the local governments are a feature of municipal formation, as the municipality may be considered as the structure of these branches of government.

Abstract: This article discusses the features of municipal formation: the territory; charter; competence, including the right to introduce their own legal acts, including regulations, as well as the right to impose taxes, in accordance with the law; municipal property; budget; administrative center; name; official symbols. The author considers a controversial opinion, according to which the local governments are a feature of municipal formation, as the municipality may be considered as the structure of these branches of government.

Abstract: Methodology of legal studies is regared by an author as a matter defining the philosophical basis for the scientific work, involving general scientific cognition methods, logical constructions, means of cognition being dominant in the relevant scientific branch, and also most widespread within specific sections of a branch of scientific knowledge, as well as theoretical methodological and doctrinal methodological aspects of scientific cognition specific for the particular scientific research  due to object and immediate object  of studies, the goals of the scientist, and the environment in which he works. The article provides comparison of the main approaches of the Russian scientists towards defining the methodology of constitutional law and contents of methodological divisions of PhD theses on speciality 12.00.02 - constitutional law, judicial constitutional process, municipal law, which were published in 2014 at the website of the State Commission for Academic Degrees and Titles under the Russian Ministry of Education. In the opinion of the author the legal scholars, and more specifically constitutional legal scholars usually do not provide in-depth analysis of methodology of their studies, instead they have to concentrate upon the analysis of the numerous legislative amendments in  the situation when the state does not pay sufficient attention to the development of legal science.