Russian Legal Glossary: H–M
Here are thirty Russian legal terms from H to M, explained in plain English. They cover filing a lawsuit, enforcing a judgment, cadastral data on land and flats, criminal preventive measures and ways to settle. Attorney Elena Petrova prepared the list so that clients abroad can follow Russian case documents without guessing.
Filing and Running a Lawsuit
- Isk — a lawsuit or claim filed with a court.
- Iskovoe zayavlenie — the statement of claim; it must list the facts, evidence and the exact demand.
- Istets — the claimant who files the lawsuit.
- Iskovaya davnost — the limitation period, generally three years under the Civil Code.
- Khodataystvo — a motion to the court or investigator, for example to call a witness or order an expert review.
Enforcing a Judgment
- Ispolnitelny list — the writ of execution issued after a decision takes effect.
- Ispolnitelnoe proizvodstvo — enforcement proceedings opened by a bailiff on a writ.
- Istrebovanie — a court demand to hand over evidence or property held by another person.
- INN — the taxpayer number; a foreigner needs one for many deals in Russia.
Land and Real Estate Records
- Kadastr — the state cadastre of land plots, buildings and premises.
- Kadastrovy nomer — the unique number that identifies a property in EGRN.
- Kadastrovaya stoimost — the state valuation used for property tax.
- Ipoteka — a mortgage on real estate, registered in EGRN.
- Mezhevanie — land survey that fixes plot boundaries.
| Term | English match | What to watch |
|---|---|---|
| Iskovaya davnost | Limitation period | The court applies it only on request |
| Kadastrovy nomer | Property ID | Must match every document |
| Mera presecheniya | Preventive measure | Can be appealed each time |
| Mirovoe soglashenie | Settlement agreement | Enforced like a judgment |
Companies and Insolvency
- Likvidatsiya — closing a company with notice to creditors.
- Likvidator — the person who runs the liquidation.
- Kreditor — a creditor; in bankruptcy, claims are ranked in a fixed order.
Criminal Procedure Terms
- Mera presecheniya — a preventive measure: pledge not to leave, bail, house arrest or custody.
- Lishenie svobody — imprisonment as a sentence.
- Kvalifikatsiya — choosing the article of the Criminal Code that fits the act.
- Khishchenie — theft or embezzlement of another's property.
- Konfiskatsiya — seizure of property linked to a crime.
Courts and Codes
- Kodeks — a code of law, such as GK, GPK or UPK.
- KoAP RF — the Code of Administrative Offences.
- Mirovoy sudya — the magistrate judge for smaller civil and criminal cases.
- Kollegiya — a panel of judges, or a college of advokats.
Settling the Dispute
- Mirovoe soglashenie — a settlement agreement approved by the court.
- Mediatsiya — mediation with a neutral mediator. An agreement reached there can be approved by the court as a settlement.
- Kompensatsiya moralnogo vreda — compensation for emotional harm. The court sets the amount at its discretion, so evidence of suffering matters.
- Moshennichestvo — fraud: obtaining property by deceit or abuse of trust, often charged in business conflicts.
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