The abolition of the serfdom in Russia: to the 150th anniversary of the court reform of 1864

The seignificance of Alexander II reforms for the state and law development is emphasised in the Article. These reforms had a great impact on socio-cultural dynamics of the society. The court reform of 1864 takes special place among them as it played a great role in formation of state and legal consciousness and corresponding legal order establishmentas well as in the definition of the main trends of the Russian civilisation development and the Russian society''s legal culture formation of the time. The court reform was designed to bring the state political and legal settings to compiance with real conditions and needs of the society of the day with connection to the given historical situation within the state and the world. The next impulse of liberal-democratic kind came in the beginning of the 20th century due to the publication of the Manifest of 17 October 1905.