Abstract: Rendering legal assistance to the population is one of the crucial vectors in the activity of legislative and executive branches, as well as local self-governance in different countries. The subject of this research is the formulation of recommendations aimed at elimination of gaps in the current legislation in the area of rendering free legal assistance to the population of the Russian Federation. The article presents an analytical overview of the peculiarities of rendering free legal assistance to the citizens in Russia and abroad. Emphasis is placed on analysis of the current legislation that regulates the indicated area of legal relations, effectiveness of its application, and further improvement. The novelty of the acquired results consists in the use of comprehensive approach towards examination of theoretical and empirical materials, as well as in proposing ways to improve the mechanism of rendering free legal assistance to the Russian population. As there is currently a complex mechanism for the lawyers to provide reports in order to be paid for their assistance, it is offered to develop requirements on the federal level to receive compensation for their work. It is also essential to establish on the federal level the minimum compensation for each type of legal aid. For increasing information awareness of the citizens on the possibilities of receiving free legal aid, it is necessary to give closer attention to legal education (availability of mass media and Internet resources, creation of thematic sections and banners, publication of information of websites and at the premises of multifunctional centers, etc.). The made proposals and recommendations can be used as the theoretical framework for solution of practical problems associated with rendering free legal assistance to the population.

Keywords: federal law, foreign experience, law, rule-making, lawyer, legislation, population, free legal aid, payment, legal services

Abstract: The object of this research is the practice of the 2020 electoral campaigns in the Russian Federation, while the subject is the organization of nationwide voting upon the approval of amendments to the Constitution of the Russian Federation, election of the governor of Krasnodar Region, a number of municipal election campaigns on the territory of Krasnodar Region of September 13, 2020. The goal of this research is to determine the gaps in legal regulation and problematic areas based on the practice-oriented approach, results of semi-structured expert interviews that involved the members of municipal, territorial, and district election commissions, as well as overt observation carried out by the authors during election campaigns, analysis of legislation and law enforcement practice. The authors believe that the identified problems and gaps can be resolved and filled not so much within the framework of Electoral Code, as in the context of current improvement of the electoral legislation, which is of particular relevance at in the lead-up to the 2021 elections to the State Duma of the Federal Assembly. The authors introduce proposals on electoral-legal codification, development of the principle of electoral federalism and the system of electoral legislation, organization of voter registration, procedures for nomination and registration of candidates, signatures collection in support of the candidates, financing of election campaigns, as well as implementation of innovations in electoral procedures tested in 2020.

Keywords: the election monitoring, financing of elections, candidate support, voter registration, all-Russian vote, the electoral code, referendum, elections, direct democracy, electoral rights

Abstract: The subject of this research is the activity of the public prosecutor in court hearing. Methodological framework for this article is comprised of the dialectical, logical, formal-legal, and hermeneutical methods. The normative base consists of the Constitution of the Russian Federation, criminal procedure legislation, and local normative acts that regulate participation of the prosecutors in the judicial stages of criminal proceedings. Attention is focused on the theoretical and applied questions of participation of the public prosecutor in preliminary hearing and judicial investigation. The article reviews opinions of the scholars on participation of the prosecutor in court hearing, as well as the specificity of the prosecutor's work at the stage of state prosecution in court. The author substantiates the importance of preparedness of the public prosecutor to state prosecution, including fundamental examination of all materials pertaining to a criminal case for successful prosecution in the court of first instance. The conclusion is made that the effectiveness of state prosecution depends on the quality of preparedness of the prosecutor to court proceedings, which alongside the appropriate order of investigation of evidence, sufficiency and coherence of evidence, allow the public prosecutor to make the closing arguments.

Keywords: completeness of evidence, evidence of prosecution, evidence analysis, preparation, public prosecutor, judicial investigation, preparation and maintenance of public prosecution, esolution of applications, planning, procedure for examining evidence

Abstract: The object this research is the social relations developed in terms of the mandatory pretrial of disputes settlement associated with challenging transactions of the debtor. Subject of this research is the set of legal norms regulating the relations in the area of challenging transactions of the debtor, as well as the law enforcement practice. The research is carried out through the prism of consideration of such problem as the absence in the current legislation of the Russian Federation of the norm that establishes compliance with the pretrial procedure for dispute settlement associated with challenging transactions of the debtor. Special attention is given to analysis of the norms of the Arbitration Procedure Code of the Russian Federation, Federal Law No. 127-FZ of 10.26.2002 “On Insolvency (Bankruptcy)” and the law enforcement practice. The goal of this work consists in articulation of the problem, substantiation of the need for legislative regulation in the indicated field, as well as development of proposals on improvement of the Bankruptcy Act. The scientific novelty lies in the fact that the field of this research has not yet acted as an independent subject of scientific understanding. The scientific novelty is defined by the fact that this topic has not previously become a subject of a separate scientific research, as well as in systemic and comparative legal approach, analysis and criticism of legal sources. The conclusion is made on the need for legislative consolidation of the mandatory pretrial disputes settlement associated with challenging transactions of the debtor. The acquired may be valuable in further formulation of the proposals on improvement of legislation and law enforcement practice within the science of Russian law.

Keywords: challenging the debtor's transactions, separate disputes, bankruptcy, debtor, lender, pre-trial settlement of disputes, invalidation of the transaction, return of property, suspicious transaction, a deal with a preference

Abstract: The subject of this research is consideration of the questions of formation of the mechanism of corruption crimes and obstruction of investigation thereof. The author examines the elements of the stage-by-stage formation of corruption crimes: initial stage, main stage, and final stage (result of committing an offense).  The subject of crime is defined as a special subject with administrative or other powers in accordance with the law. The author reviews various methods of corruption crimes and the attributes of misfeasance; as well as determines the key distinguishing feature of corruption crimes – use of powers or position by an official, etc. The main conclusion consists in the statement that the problems of obstruction of investigation are common to investigation of corruption crimes, which is explained by the fact that the detection of this type of offenses ant subsequent investigation pertains to special subjects. This poses a separate, independent task of overcoming obstruction of investigation and application of different methods of overcoming. Analysis of the practice demonstrates that penal sanctions for such crimes are imposed at the lowest possible sanction of the criminal article, and in some cases –  a suspended sentence; there is evidence of not only investigative and judicial errors, but also instances of investigative and judicial arbitrariness. This results in non-application of penalties to the offender, and the worst part – prosecuting the innocent. The examined materials on corruption crimes confirm the fact of obstruction of investigation in virtually every case, which presses the need for the development of forensic doctrine on overcoming obstruction of investigation.

Keywords: subject of crime, criminalistics methods, forensic doctrine, overcoming the counteraction, counteraction to crimes investigation, formation of crime mechanism, mechanism of crime, corruption-related crimes, criminalistics, special subject