Abstract: The article is devoted to the topical issues of formation and development of the specialized courts in Russia. Within the framework of the judicial reform it is offered to introduce specialized courts. The author provides specific proposals for the amendments of the current Russian legislation on these matters.  The Federal Constitutional Law "On the Judicial System of the Russian Federation" provides for the possibility of institution of the specialized courts (Art. 26). There are two main categories of courts: general courts (courts of general jurisdiction) and specialized courts.  There are several ways for including specialized courts into the judicial system.  The scientific environment lacks an unified opinion on the formation of specialized courts. Some scientists speak against the formation of specialized courts. Others are in favor of formation of the specialized courts.  That is why, this issue remains topical. The author makes a conclusion that specialized courts are necessary. Firstly, the presence of specialized courts is an evidence of democracy in the national judicial system within the framework of the rule of law state.  Secondly, formation of the specialized courts shall facilitate the improvement of quality of judicial decisions, less mistakes in the judicial sphere, and wider scope of judicial protection for the citizens.  The criteria for the specialization of the courts may be based upon the object, subject, procedural form, specialized (legislative) basis for the issues of regulation of specialized courts. The author responds to the question whether Russia needs specialized courts.

Abstract: There are many discussions regarding the need for an unified specialized law - the Code of Administrative Judicial Proceedings, which should serve as a fundamental act for the activities of the administrative courts.  On May 1, 2013 the State Duma has adopted in the first reading the Draft N. 246690-6 of the Code of Administrative Judicial Proceedings of the Russian Federation (hereinafter, the Code). Finally, the draft Code was made public in Russia! According to the Code it is proposed to provide within the special law for the norms on judicial proceedings in the courts of general jurisdiction for the cases arising out of administrative and other public relations (Art. 1).  Unlike arbitration and civil judicial proceedings there is no plan for the formation of a separate group of courts for the implementation of the administrative judicial proceedings.  The courts of general jurisdiction shall deal with the administrative cases according to the rules established by the said Code.  Therefore, the cases arising from administrative legal relations are reflected in the Civil Procedural Code of the Russian Federation of November 14, 2002 N. 138-FZ (hereinafter, the CPC of the RF), and the Arbitration Procedural Code of the Russian Federation of July 24, 2002 N. 95-FZ (hereinafter, the APC of the RF). In the parallel with the APC and CPC of the RF the procedural norms of the Administrative Offences Code of the Russian Federation of December 30, 2001 N. 195-FZ (hereinafter, the AOC of the RF) are applied.  Division of administrative procedural norms among the three codes: the CPC, the APC and the AOC of the Russian Federation does not allow for provision of sufficient guarantees of rights of natural persons and legal entities from the abuse of competence by the public bodies. The author draws a conclusion that administrative cases should be dealt with within the framework of independent administrative process, and they should be regulated by the Code for Administrative Judicial Proceedings, establishing the methodology, other procedural acts regarding proceeding and decisions on the cases arising from such relations with due regard to the specific character of grounds, character, subjects and objects of such disputes.

Abstract: Mediation is recognized as one of the procedures for alternative dispute resolution. The mediation procedure is the most accessible, and it is aimed at the search for the mutual understanding.  Currently in Russia there is a public discussion on whether mediation may be applied to public law disputes, and, more specifically, in the tax cases.  The peaceful settlements on such cases may include recognition of the situation in question by the parties, agreement of the parties, qualifying the deal concluded by a party to the case, his status, or t type of his activities, total or partial refusal to sustain a claim, including the situations, when it is due to the parties reaching agreement upon the evaluation of the situation in whole or in part. The Recommendation of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe of September 5, 2001 N. Rec. (2001)9 on alternative means of dispute resolution between the administrative bodies and private persons refers to the active use of conciliatory procedures in public law disputes. Based upon the analysis of the foreign experience the author draws a conclusion that such a procedure may be used in all of the spheres of law, including administrative relations.  The author considers that our society needs mediation.  This procedure should be popularized.

Abstract: The insufficient legal regulation in the sphere of labor and the gaps in normative acts lead to growth of the number of claims of workers in courts and other state bodies competent to hear labor disputes.  Having studied the procedural specific features of hearing and resolution of labor disputes in the Russian Federation as well as the foreign experience in this sphere, the author attempts to provide a concept for the labor justice formation in the Russian Federation. In particular, the author offers to form the Judicial Divisions on Labor Disputes within the system of general jurisdiction court. This Judicial Devision shall use the procedure prescribed by the Labor Procedural Code and specialize in cases arising from labor relations (both individual and collective claims). The procedure for hearing such cases should have a number of specific features. It is considered that formation of specialized labor courts shall guarantee reliable, efficient and professional protection of labor rights of citizens.  The author considers that specialization of courts is due to a number of causes: firstly, their formation shall facilitate the strenghening of judicial system; secondly, hearing and resolution of a certain category of cases guarantees higher professionalism of judges, since lack of specialization does not allow the courts to take into account specific features of such disputes; thirdly, the courts of special jurisdiction shall allow for the speedier judicial process. 

Abstract: In Russia theory and practice of administrative justice have long history: from the quasi-judicial institutions of administrative justice ("mixed" tribunals) headed by the First Department of the Governing Senate, which was characterized by a number of significant shortcomings in organizational and practical aspects to the partially formed model created by the Temporary Government.  Then the problem was seemingly solved in the Russian legal science in early XX century, which was reflected in the legislative definition of administrative justice as a form of judicial power. However, in the modern conditions the discussions on the primary justice models, which would be most adequate to the Russian situation, are revived. The approach of the representatives of the Supreme Arbitration Court of the Russian Federation is quite a vivid example, they offer to form a system of Administrative Chambers within the framework of administrative branch of government.  They should be accountable to the Administration of the President or to the Ministry of Justice at the federal level, and to the Plenipotentiaries of the President in the Federal Districts at the level of the constituent subjects of the Russian Federation. At the same time, the chambers may be specialized: tax, customs, anti-monopoly, currency regulation and control, cadastral reporting. It basically would mean making administrative justice a system of quasi-judicial institutions, which Russia used to have in the XIX century. Such a situation requires a cleare definition on the issues of correlation between the terms "administrative justice" and "administrative judicial procedure". The issues of formation and development of administrative justice were of interest to many administrative law scholars, such as D.N. Bakhrakh, A.B. Zelentsov, I.V. Panova, N.G. Salischeva, V.V. Skitovich, Y.N. Starilov, M.S. Studenikina, N.Y. Khamaneva, etc.  The author makes a conclusion that studies of the foreign experience may assist the Russian Federation in choosing the optimum approaches to the formation of its own model of administrative justice, using the practical experience. Russia needs administrative courts. Administrative cases should be dealt with within an independent administrative process, and to be regulated by the Administrative Judicial Procedural Code, which would establish methodology, other procedural acts on hearing and resolving cases arising from such legal relations.