The Formation of an Independent Judiciary in Russia: Historical and Legal Analysis

The work explores the key stages of the evolution of the judicial system – from the pre-Soviet period to modern constitutional reforms. Particular attention is paid to the process of institutionalization of the judiciary, considered not only as a formal establishment in legislation, but also as a profound sociocultural phenomenon. The article examines the dynamics of change in the place and role of the judiciary in the constitutional system of separation of powers: from a subordinate state to the acquisition of the constitutional status of an independent branch of government. Particular emphasis is made on the evolution of the functional powers of the courts, including the extension of their jurisdiction, the establishment of constitutional justice and the development of procedural guarantees for the effective protection of human and civil rights and freedoms. On the basis of historical, legal and comparative legal methods applied in systemic unity, patterns and features of the formation of an independent judiciary in Russia were revealed.