The Moscow Courts Landscape

Moscow has two parallel court systems. Disputes between companies and entrepreneurs go to the Arbitrazh Court of the City of Moscow. Claims involving individuals, family matters, labor cases and criminal prosecutions go to courts of general jurisdiction: magistrates, district courts and the Moscow City Court. Picking the wrong system gets a claim returned and costs weeks.

Attorney Elena Petrova explains how these venues relate to each other and what a foreign party should expect from each.

Moscow City Court and Its Role

The Moscow City Court sits above the district courts. For most civil and criminal cases it acts as the court of appeal. It also hears certain matters at first instance, including some serious criminal cases and specific categories set by the procedural codes.

Cassation complaints against its appellate rulings do not stay in the building. They go to the Second Cassation Court of General Jurisdiction, and then, in limited cases, to the Supreme Court.

District Courts and Magistrates

Each administrative area of Moscow is served by a district court. Territorial jurisdiction usually follows the defendant's address or registered office. Contracts may shift it to another court by a clear choice-of-court clause.

Magistrates handle smaller property claims, court orders on undisputed debts and many administrative offence cases. Their decisions are appealed to the district court.

The Arbitrazh Court of Moscow

This court hears commercial contract claims, corporate conflicts, bankruptcy and disputes with state bodies. Its case numbers begin with the code A40. Appeals go to the Ninth Arbitrazh Appeal Court, and cassation goes to the Arbitrazh Court of the Moscow District.

A mandatory pre-trial demand applies to most money claims between businesses. Filing without proof of that step leads to the claim being left without consideration.

Caseload and Its Practical Effect

Moscow courts carry a heavy docket. Judges set strict schedules, keep hearings short and expect written positions filed in advance. Oral argument rarely replaces a well-built written brief.

Parties should plan for postponements caused by improper notice of the other side, especially when a foreign defendant is involved and service abroad is needed.

Specialized Chambers and Judges

Within the Arbitrazh Court of Moscow, judges are grouped by type of dispute, including bankruptcy panels. District courts assign cases automatically. Litigants cannot choose a judge, but they can read a judge's earlier decisions in the public databases.

Choosing the Venue Strategically

Venue choice starts at the drafting stage. A contract can fix a specific court, name arbitration instead of state courts, or select Moscow as the place of performance. Once the dispute arises, options narrow.

We check whether an exclusive clause exists, whether a claim can be joined with related claims in one court, and whether interim measures are easier to obtain in a particular venue. A realistic enforcement plan also matters: a judgment is worth only as much as the assets it can reach.

What a Foreign Party Should Prepare for Moscow

Any Moscow court works only in Russian. Foreign documents need an apostille or legalization and a certified translation before filing. A representative needs a power of attorney that expressly lists the right to sign the claim, settle and appeal.

Service on a party abroad follows international treaties and can take months. Where the defendant has a Moscow address or a local branch, service there is faster and keeps the schedule on track.

The main channel of communication with the attorney is email: attorneypetrova1@gmail.com.