Shakhbazyan S.V. Courts’ discretion to demote a charge to a lesser category of crime

Abstract: This article examines the positions of Part 6 of Article 15 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (CCRF) on authority of the courts to lower the category of a crime, as well as the grounds and conditions for such decision. The author gives attention to the wide boundaries of the court’s discretion in making a decision in accordance with the Part 6 of Article 15, and analyzes law enforcement practice and clarification of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation on this issue. This work presents criticism on the Federal Law No. 420-FZ regarding the amendment it made to the Part 6 of Article 15, which contains corruptogenic factors and contradicts Article 10 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation. The scientific novelty lies in the attempt to attract the attention of scientists and practicians to the problematic issues emerging in relation to the application of Part 6 of the Article 15, particularly: which procedural document should reflect the court’s decision to lower the category of a crime, and which juridical consequences could follow the court’s decision to change the category of a committed crime.

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