Appointment of Judges and Legal Responsibility of Judges: Guarantees of Independence in Russia

Abstract

The systems of guarantees of judicial independence in Russia are enshrined in the Constitution and in federal laws in general, and are in accordance with international and European standards. The organization and functioning of judicial power in Russia is predominantly determined by the transitional state of the economic, political and legal systems. The guarantees of judges' independence are connected to a great extent with the issues involved in the functioning of the judiciary of the Russian Federation and judges' legal liability. The qualifying boards of judges play a fairly large role in Russian disciplinary proceedings. Only they hear disciplinary cases and make decisions about bringing disciplinary proceedings against judges. It is evident that there is a need for definite legal procedures enabling to detect and record gross judicial errors and where necessary to start procedures for bringing to disciplinary liability the judges who have made them. Keywords: disciplinary liability; judicial independence; Russia; Russian disciplinary proceedings; Russian Federation