THE DEVELOPMENT OF PRINCIPLES OF CIVIL PROCEDURE IN THE CONTEXT OF THE IMPENDING REFORM OF RUSSIAN PROCEDURAL LEGISLATION

The author analyzes the legislative proposals of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation relating to main principles of civil procedure. Special att ention is paid to the principles of judicial independence, access to justice, optionality, combination of a sole and peer review of cases, and judicial administration of the process. The author concludes that the proposed amendments to existing procedural legislation relating to principles of civil procedure must be consistent with the right to a fair trial, the right to access to justice and the postulate of procedural fairness.