Magistrate in civil proceedings: 25 years on

Abstract

The article based on pre-revolutionary and modern Russian experience attempts to comprehend the role of justices of peace in the consideration and resolution of civil cases. The publication notes the tendency to reduce constantly the list of civil cases under the jurisdiction of magistrates for twenty-five years of their work. Statistics are given that their real number today is extremely small compared to criminal cases and cases of administrative offenses. In addition, over the years of the work of justices of peace, a specific procedural form of activity has not been developed that meets the grounds of world justice. Thus, the author suggests that it is advisable to leave only civil cases in the competence of magistrates, considered in the order proceedings, following the example of how the same issue was resolved in the Code of Administrative Procedure of the Russian Federation.