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The meeting was dedicated to the performance of the Russian judicial system in 2024 and goals for 2025.

President of the Supreme Court Irina Podnosova delivered a report on main areas of work of the Russian courts in 2024.

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President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Good afternoon, colleagues,

I would like to welcome everyone to the traditional meeting, which we will use to analyse last year’s performance and to discuss issues that are of importance for the judicial community and, by extension, for the country as a whole.

We will pay special attention to ensuring reliable protection of both state interests and rights and freedoms of citizens and legal entities, since they are the most important factors behind successful and sustainable development of the country and society and, of course, the main constitutional duty of every judge and the Russian courts in general.

I would like to emphasise that the effectiveness of the judicial authority (it is absolutely obvious to you and me) and people’s trust in it depend on profound knowledge, competence, and high professionalism of everyone who is involved in legal proceedings, and above all, judges themselves.

This position is justifiably considered the pinnacle of legal career of any specialist, because not everyone can do it. The vocation of a judge is to rely on the law as they seek, find and establish justice, to serve society, citizens and the state, and to be an impartial arbitrator who makes highly important decisions which influence the lives of people and operations of small and strategically important enterprises across the country. It is a challenging, hard, and very important work.

All the more so at a time when the workload of judges is increasing. More than 42 million cases have been considered in all types of legal proceedings, and almost everywhere court cases were resolved with high quality and within reasonable time.

On the initiative of the Supreme Court, a number of significant decisions have been made that aim to further improve the quality of justice and streamline judges’ workload.

These decisions include amendments to legislation on bankruptcy of individuals and legal entities. Similar judicial procedures set forth in the norms of civil, arbitration and administrative law have been unified. I expect that the efforts to form a uniform judicial practice and, in general, to improve legislative support of justice will, by all means, continue into the future.

An important condition for improving the quality of justice is the timely detection and elimination of judicial errors. Fourteen new courts of appeal and courts of cassation of general jurisdiction, as well as military courts of cassation and appeal, have been in operation for five years. The results of their work show that they have managed to ensure a higher level of legal defence in the consideration of cases. This is extremely important for increasing confidence in the judicial system’s objectivity and independence and for consolidating the principles of legality and justice in our society.

The importance of the social focus of justice has been repeatedly emphasised at annual meetings of the courts. I must note that a significant number of cases have to do with labour remuneration, various types of state support, guarantees and compensations, including disputes over the use of maternity capital funds.

We must continue to focus on the judicial protection of large families, women, children, persons with disabilities and other socially vulnerable groups. Undeniably, the judicial protection of participants in the special military operation and their family members is of particular importance.

I should also note that lawsuits concerning pension rights and rights to social payments and benefits can now be filed in local courts at the plaintiff’s place of residence, whereas previously, this was restricted to the defendant’s local courts. The change was legalised by a federal law adopted last year.

I emphasise that military courts play a crucial role in ensuring and protecting the rights of the military. They hear cases related to conscription and military service, military allowances, and the protection of the rights of persons injured in the course of duty.

Military courts play a key role in the consideration of criminal cases involving terrorism. Last year, about 950 such cases were heard and 1,075 persons were convicted. Military courts must continue to fulfil their duty, reliably protecting the rights of service personnel, and ensuring the unavoidability of punishment for crime committers.

Next. It is imperative to continue the efforts to humanise criminal legislation and its application in practice. Courts have reviewed cases of almost 680,000 citizens, and for almost one in five, the criminal cases were dismissed by the court. Among those convicted, only one third received prison sentences, while the remaining 71 percent were sanctioned with alternative punishments.

Granting a reprieve of the implementation of an imprisonment sentence to pregnant women, women who have a child under 14, as well as men who are the sole caregivers of children under 14, would also promote the humanisation process. Additionally, court rulings ordering the release of inmates due to health conditions are to be implemented immediately.

Colleagues, since September 2023, courts established in the Donetsk and Lugansk people’s republics, as well as the Zaporozhye and Kherson regions, have been operational. This marks a significant step towards integrating our historical territories into Russia’s common legal framework. It is essential to ensure unwavering guarantees of judicial protection for citizens residing in these areas. One hundred courts have been established, with approximately 570 federal judges appointed, and over 172,000 cases adjudicated last year.

Numerous tasks remain, including addressing judges’ working conditions, restoring and constructing court buildings, and strengthening logistical support. All of this must and will be accomplished. I wish to express gratitude to judges working under complicated, often perilous circumstances, who remain steadfast in serving the public by rendering lawful and equitable decisions.

Today, information technologies are being increasingly integrated into legal proceedings. Our citizens widely utilise the court system’s electronic services, and hearings are frequently conducted online. The adoption of modern information technologies represents a critical step towards enhancing the accessibility and transparency of justice.

At the same time, the security of the judiciary’s online resources and their protection against diverse threats must be constantly monitored by the Supreme Court and the Judicial Department.

Colleagues, the judicial system bears a paramount mission: to uphold the supremacy of law within our society. I extend my gratitude to all of you – to every judge in Russia – for your unwavering dedication, your commitment to duty, and for placing professional responsibility above all else.

Allow me to wish you productive discussions, both in today’s meeting and in your daily endeavours.

Thank you for your attention and for your service. Thank you very much.

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