Chapter Four - The Everyday Experiences of Russian Citizens in Justice of the Peace Courts

Summary

This chapter gives a glimpse into the experiences of ordinary Russian citizens in Courts of Justices of the Peace (JP). The main findings indicate that a number of factors contribute to making the use of a Russian court a highly distinctive experience. The first factor is the availability of direct access to a judge during a pre-trial session. These informal, non-recorded sessions give the claimants an opportunity to assess the strength of their cases, and, even more importantly, to evaluate the judges' opinions of them. The widespread use of pre-trial sessions combined with a characteristic reliance on the black letter of the law lead to most cases being decided before the hearings. As a result, many public hearings become mere formalities for the announcement of decisions, while a typical court user's opportunity to participate in the legal process is restricted to talking informally to the judge. Systematic observation of what people experience in Russian JP Courts reveals a pattern of relaxed procedural standards which are encouraged by an absence of barriers between court users and decision makers.