Russian Legal Terms: R–Z
This glossary defines Russian legal terms from R to Z in English transliteration, providing contextual explanations for their use in the Russian legal system.
R
Raschet (Расчет) — Settlement or calculation. The act of paying or settling a financial obligation, including payment of debts, damages, and contractual obligations. In civil procedure, raschet may refer to the calculation of amounts owed, including interest, penalties, and court costs.
Rasporyazhenie (Распоряжение) — Order or directive. A type of legal act issued by executive authorities, typically on operational or administrative matters. Presidential rasporyazheniya are distinguished from ukazy (decrees) by their non-normative character, often concerning appointments, awards, or specific administrative decisions.
Rassledovanie (Расследование) — Investigation. The stage of criminal proceedings in which the investigator collects evidence, identifies suspects, and establishes the circumstances of a crime. The preliminary investigation (predvaritelnoe rassledovanie) is conducted by investigators from the Investigative Committee, Ministry of Internal Affairs, or FSB.
Reabilitatsiya (Реабилитация) — Rehabilitation. The restoration of rights and reputation of a person who has been unlawfully or unjustifiably subjected to criminal prosecution, conviction, or administrative sanctions. Rehabilitation includes the right to compensation for harm, restoration of employment and housing rights, and public apology.
Reshenie (Решение) — Judgment or decision. The final decision of a court on the merits of a civil case, resolving the dispute between the parties. A reshenie must be lawful, reasoned, and based on the evidence presented. Court decisions may be appealed to the appellate instance before entering into legal force.
Respublica (Республика) — Republic. A type of federal subject within the Russian Federation, characterized by its own constitution, official language, and higher degree of autonomy within the federal structure. The 22 republics of Russia were established as national-territorial formations for ethnic groups and enjoy a special status.
Ryadovoy (Рядовой) — Private (military rank). The lowest military rank in the Russian armed forces. In military law, ryadovoy refers to conscripts and enlisted personnel who are subject to military service obligations, military discipline, and the jurisdiction of military courts for offenses.
S
Sberezhenie (Сбережение) — Savings. Monetary assets held by individuals or entities, regulated by banking and civil law. The Russian deposit insurance system, administered by the Deposit Insurance Agency, guarantees the return of bank deposits up to a statutory limit per depositor per bank.
Sledovatel (Следователь) — Investigator. An official of the Investigative Committee, Ministry of Internal Affairs, or FSB authorized to conduct preliminary investigations in criminal cases. The sledovatel has broad powers: initiating cases, gathering evidence, ordering examinations, applying procedural measures, and referring cases to court.
Sledstvie (Следствие) — Investigation or inquiry. The formal stage of criminal proceedings during which investigators collect evidence and establish the factual circumstances of a crime. Predvaritelnoe sledstvie (preliminary investigation) is the standard form of investigation for serious crimes, distinguished from doznanie (inquiry) for less serious offenses.
Sobstvennost (Собственность) — Property or ownership. The right to possess, use, and dispose of property. Russian law recognizes private, state, municipal, and other forms of ownership. The right to property is guaranteed by Article 35 of the Constitution and regulated by the Civil Code.
Sotsialnaya Zashchita (Социальная защита) — Social protection. The system of state measures aimed at supporting vulnerable categories of citizens, including pensions, benefits, social services, and welfare assistance. Social protection is guaranteed by the Constitution and implemented through federal and regional social legislation.
Sovet (Совет) — Council. A collegial body exercising advisory, coordinative, or deliberative functions. Sovety exist at multiple levels of state power, including the Federation Council (Sovet Federatsii), the Security Council, the State Council, and various advisory councils under the President and Government.
Sovet Federatsii (Совет Федерации) — Federation Council. The upper house of the Federal Assembly, comprising representatives from each federal subject. The Federation Council approves federal laws passed by the State Duma, approves presidential decrees on martial law and states of emergency, and exercises powers on appointments and dismissal of certain high officials.
Srok (Срок) — Term or period. A defined period of time established by law or contract for the performance of obligations, exercise of rights, or procedural actions. Compliance with sroki is essential in procedural law, where failure to meet statutory deadlines may result in loss of procedural rights.
Stavka (Ставка) — Rate or tariff. A fixed amount or percentage used in taxation, interest calculations, and state fees. Stavki include tax rates (e.g., the 13% personal income tax rate), refinancing rates set by the Central Bank, and state duty rates for court filings and notarial acts.
Sud (Суд) — Court. A state body exercising judicial power through constitutional, civil, administrative, and criminal proceedings. The Russian judicial system comprises the Constitutional Court, the Supreme Court, courts of general jurisdiction, arbitrazh courts, military courts, and justices of the peace.
Sudebnaya Sistema (Судебная система) — Judicial system. The structure of courts in the Russian Federation, established by the Constitution and the Law on the Judicial System. The system includes federal courts (Constitutional Court, Supreme Court, courts of general jurisdiction, arbitrazh courts) and regional courts (constitutional or charted courts, justices of the peace).
Sudebny Uchastok (Судебный участок) — Judicial precinct. A territorial unit for which a justice of the peace exercises jurisdiction. The number and boundaries of sudebnye uchastki are determined by regional laws, and each precinct has a single justice of the peace.
Sudeyskoye Reshenie (Судейское решение) — Judicial decision. A general term for any decision rendered by a judge or court, including judgments, rulings, and orders. Judicial decisions must be based on law, reasoned, and announced publicly.
T
Taina (Тайна) — Secrecy or confidentiality. A protected category of information whose disclosure is restricted by law. Types of taina include state secrets, commercial secrets, banking secrecy, notarial secrecy, attorney-client privilege, medical confidentiality, and the secrecy of communications and correspondence.
Treteysky Sud (Третейский суд) — Arbitral tribunal or private arbitration. A non-state dispute resolution mechanism in which parties agree to submit their dispute to independent arbitrators. Treteysky courts are governed by the Law on Arbitration and are distinguished from state arbitrazh courts.
Trudovoe Pravo (Трудовое право) — Labour law. The branch of law governing employment relationships between employees and employers, codified in the Labour Code. Russian labour law regulates employment contracts, working time, rest periods, wages, discipline, occupational safety, and collective bargaining.
U
Ugolovnoe Delo (Уголовное дело) — Criminal case. The set of criminal proceedings initiated against a person or in respect of a criminal event, comprising the investigation, trial, and appeal stages. A criminal case is formally initiated by a decision of an investigator or prosecutor.
Ugolovnoe Pravo (Уголовное право) — Criminal law. The branch of law defining crimes and prescribing punishments, codified in the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. Criminal law comprises the General Part (principles, definitions, grounds for liability) and the Special Part (specific offenses and penalties).
Ukaz (Указ) — Presidential decree. A normative or individual legal act issued by the President within the scope of constitutional authority. Presidential ukazy have the force of subordinate legislation and must not contradict the Constitution or federal laws.
Usluga (Услуга) — Service. An activity the results of which have no material expression and are consumed in the process of performance. Services are the subject of a separate category of civil law contracts and are governed by the Civil Code.
Uslovnoe Osvobozhdenie (Условное освобождение) — Conditional release or parole. The early release of a convicted person from imprisonment subject to compliance with specified conditions during the remaining term of the sentence. Conditional release is governed by the Criminal Code and requires a judicial decision based on the convicted person’s behavior.
Ustav (Устав) — Charter or statute. A founding document defining the legal status, structure, and powers of an organization or, in constitutional law, the basic law of a krai, oblast, city of federal importance, autonomous oblast, or autonomous okrug.
V
Verkhovny Sud (Верховный суд) — Supreme Court. The highest judicial body for civil, criminal, administrative, and economic cases. The Supreme Court provides guiding interpretations of legislation, reviews court decisions through cassation and supervisory procedures, and exercises judicial oversight over lower courts.
Vlast (Власть) — Power or authority. The capacity to exercise control over persons or to make binding decisions. State power (gosudarstvennaya vlast) is exercised by the President, Federal Assembly, Government, and courts within the principle of separation of powers.
Vozmezdenie (Возмездие) — Retribution or compensation. In criminal law, retribution as a purpose of punishment. In civil law, vozmeshchenie (indemnification) refers to compensation for harm or losses, including damages for breach of contract and tort compensation.
Vozrazhenie (Возражение) — Objection. A procedural statement by a party disputing an assertion, request, or action by the opposing party or the court. Objections may be raised against evidence, procedural motions, or substantive claims.
Vzysk (Взыск) — Recovery or collection. The compulsory enforcement of a debt or claim through court proceedings or enforcement actions. Vzysk may be applied to monetary debts, property, or other obligations through the bailiff service (sluzhba sudebnykh pristavov).
Y
Yuridicheskaya Pomoshch (Юридическая помощь) — Legal assistance. The provision of legal services including consultation, document preparation, representation in court, and defense in criminal proceedings. The right to qualified legal assistance is guaranteed by Article 48 of the Constitution. Free legal aid is available to low-income citizens under federal legislation.
Yuridicheskoe Litso (Юридическое лицо) — Legal person. An organization registered in accordance with law that possesses separate property and may acquire and exercise civil rights and assume civil obligations. Legal persons are classified as commercial (profit-oriented) or non-commercial organizations.
Z
Zakon (Закон) — Law or statute. A normative legal act adopted by the Federal Assembly in accordance with the legislative procedure established by the Constitution. Federal laws have supreme legal force relative to subordinate legislation and must conform to the Constitution.
Zakonodatelstvo (Законодательство) — Legislation. The entire body of normative legal acts in force in the Russian Federation, including the Constitution, federal laws, codes, presidential decrees, government regulations, and regional legislation.
Zashchita (Защита) — Defense or protection. The legal protection of rights and interests through judicial and extra-judicial mechanisms. In criminal procedure, zashchita refers to the defense of the accused exercised by the defense counsel. The right to defense is guaranteed by the Constitution and procedural codes.
Zalog (Залог) — Pledge or collateral. A security interest in property given to secure the performance of an obligation, governed by the Civil Code and the Law on Pledge. The pledgee has the right to satisfy the claim from the value of the pledged property preferentially.
Zashchitnik (Защитник) — Defense counsel. A person who protects the rights and interests of a suspect or accused in criminal proceedings. The zashchitnik is typically an advokat, though with the court’s permission, other persons may also serve as defense counsel.