Judicial and administrative reforms of Catherine the Great in Siberia

“Institution for the Administration of Governorates of the Russian Empire”, established in 1775, was an important transformation of the country’s administrative structure, organization of regional administration and judicature. Catherine the Great tried to separate the judicial power from the administrative power and introduce the principle of separation of powers as the philosophy of enlightenment. She created class courts for nobles, townspeople and state peasants. The organization of rural justice was undergone significant changes, the positions of prosecutors were reformed, and the police become second institution for administration of justice. The Empress sought to find an optimal model for governing the country, but did not fully implement her plan. The article focuses on the originality of Catherine’s reforms in Siberia.