A Reasonable Period of Criminal Proceedings: the Emergence of the Principle, the Practice of its Implementation and the Impact of the ECHR

Relevance. The article examines the legal norms in the field of implementation of the principle of a reasonable period of criminal proceedings. There are some contradictions in Russian legislation on this issue, and as practice shows, this principle is not observed in the proceedings in many cases. The theory of criminal procedure has not yet developed a clear mechanism to fully implement the operation of this principle.

The purpose of the research is to analyze the substance of criminal procedural norms regulating the principle of a reasonable period of criminal proceedings at the theoretical and practical levels.

The objectives of the research: to investigate the norms regulating the principle of a reasonable period of criminal proceedings, the prerequisites and history of its appearance and development, as well as to determine its significance in domestic legal science; to analyze in detail Article 6.1 of the Code of Criminal Procedure of the Russian Federation and to consider the relevant judicial practice.

The methodology of the research is presented by the dialectical method, the comparative legal method, historical and special legal methods.

Results. In the course of the research, some problems were identified in the implementation in practice of the principle of a reasonable period of criminal proceedings and compensation for violation of this norm. The theoretical essence and content of this principle are analyzed. Based on the results of the research, proposals were developed and formulated to improve legislation in this area.

Conclusion. According to the results of the research, conclusions are drawn about the interdisciplinarity of the principle of a reasonable period of criminal proceedings, since it is guaranteed by compensation within the framework of civil, not criminal proceedings. It is rightly noted that for each case, its own period of production will be recognized as reasonable, and the decisive word on its determination belongs only to the court. It is also concluded that if the criminal proceedings have clearly taken on a protracted nature, then the sheer complexity of the case itself cannot justify the overall duration of the criminal proceedings.

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