Current state and prospects of development of a civil suit in criminal proceedings
The paper analyzes the current state and prospects of development of the mechanism of compensation of harm in criminal proceedings. It is noted that with a steady trend of growing discontent of the majority of victims with the state’s activities to restore their rights violated because of the crime, the courts properly resolve civil claims in criminal cases. The reasons why article 52 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation remains declarative are revealed. The conclusion about the inadmissibility of expanding the subject and grounds of civil claims in criminal proceedings is substantiated. It is indicated that the foreign practice of compensation for harm to victims, including through the formation of compensation funds, the use of mediation procedures, funds of non-governmental organizations, faces many problems that remain unresolved. In this regard, it is proposed to use only the institutions of restitution and voluntary compensation of harm in the criminal process, actively using the possibilities of pre-trial stages, as well as to consider claims that clearly arise from the substance of the criminal law dispute and (or) recognized by civil defendants. The remaining civil law issues directly or indirectly related to the committed or impending crime should be resolved in civil proceedings, where the burden of proof of the asserted claims is placed on the person recognized as the victim in the criminal case, his heir or representative. An important role is given to the improvement of the system of execution of court decisions, including through the development of programs based on the achievements of modern digital technologies.