Accountability and Discretion of the Russian Courts

Author(s): Alexei Trochev
Editor(s): Stephen Aris, Matthias Neumann, Robert Orttung, Jeronim Perovic, Heiko Pleines, Hans-Henning Schröder, Aglaya Snetkov
Series: Russian Analytical Digest (RAD)
Issue: 147
Pages: 6-10
Publisher(s): Center for Security Studies (CSS), ETH Zurich; Research Centre for East European Studies, University of Bremen; Institute for European, Russian and Eurasian Studies, George Washington University
Publication Year: 2014

Judges are much more likely to rule against the government in non-criminal cases than they are in lawsuits brought by state procurators. The difference lies in the relationship between judges and the law enforcement agencies and other agencies of the government. Their closer ties with the law enforcement agencies makes it harder for the judges to oppose their requests, whereas judges have fewer connections to other parts of the government and therefore have greater freedom in opposing them.

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