JUSTICES OF THE PEACE BEYOND NATIONAL BORDERS: A COMPARATIVE LEGAL STUDY

Every year the workload of the Russian judicial system increases, especially at the level of justices of the peace, which necessitates the search for effective models of organizing such judicial bodies. Despite its rich history, there are currently shortcomings in the legal regulation of justice of the peace. It is in dire need of modernisation, due to insufficient material and technical support, chronic funding shortages and increasing workload. The solution to these problems is a priority area of legislative activity, but a more decisive and multifaceted approach is needed, including, in particular, reforming procedural rules for certain categories of cases. Purpose: to study foreign experience in the organisation and legal regulation of courts similar to Russian justices of the peace, as well as a historical analysis of the evolution of the institution of justices of the peace in these countries in order to enrich the national legal doctrine by integrating theoretically grounded foreign practices. Methods: comparative-legal, logical-legal, system analysis, historical. Results: the article reveals significant differences in the organisation and legal regulation of analogues of the Russian institution of justices of the peace in foreign countries; the article concludes that the Russian model of justice of the peace is a unique system that has no direct foreign analogues, with its inherent features and problems. The article offers recommendations aimed at further improvement of Russian legislation and practice of justices of the peace.