The importance of procedural presumptions

The research discusses the importance of presumptions in law in general and civil procedure in particular. The author defines a range of functions of this legal phenomenon. The changing attitude to presumption is reviewed from a historical perspective. The major milestones in the domestic legislation are noted. The research examines the relationships of presumptions with such procedural institutions as the burden of proof, deeming of a citizen to be missing, declaration of a citizen to be deceased which are considered as a part of the special proceedings. The focus is on the impact of presumptions on the activities of individuals involved in the civil procedure. The paper addresses the issue of mandatory presumptions to be applied by courts in the law enforcement practice. The author reveals the basic principle of presumptions that are obligatorily applied by the court.