Stages of formation and development of the institute of jury trial in the Russian criminal proceedings

Introduction: The article discusses the history of the origin, formation and development of the institute of jury trials in Russian criminal proceedings. The basic requirements and features of the organization of the activities of such courts, as well as the conditions for the consideration of cases involving jurors, are determined. The study and analysis of historical aspects allows, by comparing the basic provisions governing the activities of jury trials, to determine the prospects for their development, taking into account the transformation of their judicial system as a whole. Methods and materials: the regulatory and legal basis of the study was the Charter of criminal proceedings of 1864, the current criminal procedure legislation governing the activities of juries, investigative and judicial practice, analysis of a survey of 30 federal judges of district courts of the Volgograd and Rostov Regions, the Republic of Dagestan. The methodological basis of the study is the dialectic method, comparison, analysis and description. Results of the study: to consider the prerequisites for the creation and development of jury trials with the identification of the main causes and directions of their transformation. Findings and conclusions: that, despite the ambiguous attitude to the jury and the changes taking place in its legal regulation, the activities of such a court provide a unique opportunity for legal proceedings to rely directly on civil society, embodying a reliable guarantee of humanity to the accused in the minds of citizens, being a vivid an indicator of democracy in the country and making justice more equitable.