THE WORK OF THE COURT
1. In the district courts cases are heard by the judge alone or by the
collegial.
2. The judge alone has the right to hear and decide the majority of civil
cases and only such criminal cases punishment for which doesn't exceed 2
years of imprisonment and if the defendant does not object to such a
trial.
3. The collegial consists of one judge and two people's assessors.
4. They have equal rights in deciding a case.
5. Decisions are taken by a majority vote.
6. People's assessors are elected at the meetings of working people at the
places of their work or residence by show of hands for a term of 5 years.
7. The President of the Russian Federation appoints all judges.
8. They are appointed for life, but if a judge misuses his authority and
does not perform his duties properly, or if his conduct is unworthy of a
judge, he may be discharged.
9. Any citizen of Russia who has reached the age of 25, graduated from a
law higher school, whose length of legal service is not less than 5 years
and who has passed the qualification exam may be appointed judge of a
district court.
10. According to the Constitution judges are independent and subject only
to the law.
11. They must be neutral and impartial.
12. All judges enjoy the principle of inviolability.
13. People's assessors are citizens of different professions.
14. In deciding cases they are guided by their sense of justice and life
experience.
15. Their work as people's assessors is not paid.
16. They are reserved the right to keeping the permanent place of work and
getting their wages there.
17. In deciding a case judges in the courts of the first instance must
examine all the case evidence, interrogate the defendants, victims and
witnesses, hear the experts' findings, examine all physical evidence and
make public all records and other papers.
18. The sentence of the judge must be lawful, grounded and just.
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