Good faith principle in exercising and protection of civil rights of contracting parties in the laws of England and Russia

Introduction: the article analyzes the good faith principle in exercising and protection of civil rights of parties to contractual relations in the laws of England and Russia. While not being legislatively recognized, this principle is increasingly used in the practice of English courts as an implication in law, in relational contracts involving fiduciary relations of contracting parties, as part of the concepts of English law of obligations, and for protection of the weaker party to a contract. In this regard, the study and borrowing of successful English practices of applying the good faith principle is of particular importance for Russian law of obligations. Purpose: based on the analysis of scientific sources and materials of judicial practice, to develop a general idea of the good faith principle and the practice of its application in the law of obligations in England and Russia. Methods: empirical methods of comparison, description, interpretation; theoretical methods of formal and dialectical logic; specific scientific methods: juridical-dogmatic method and legal regulations interpretation. Results: the study revealed the commonality of approaches to determining the scope of application and the criteria for assessment of the parties’ behavior compliance with the good faith principle in the law of obligations in England and Russia. At the same time, the paper demonstrates a more distinct idea of this fundamental in Russian doctrine and law enforcement practice. Conclusions: civil science and judicial practice should apply the approach used by English and Russian researchers for understanding good faith in terms of the objective and subjective components. In the first case, we mean criterion ‘knew - did not know’, in the second case we mean proceeding from the behaviour of a typical, fair contracting party on the basis of the key criteria: the parties’ respect for the rights and legitimate interests of each other and non-infringement of the balance between them; provision of complete or accurate information; demonstration of care and diligence while concluding the contract; provision of mutual assistance to achieve the objectives of the contract; observance of the established business relations.