Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign Court Judgments in Russia

Recognition and enforcement of foreign court decisions in Russia is a legally significant procedure required to give legal force to a judicial act issued abroad within the territory of the Russian Federation. Many believe that the decision alone is sufficient, but in reality, it must be formally recognized by a Russian court. Without this, a foreign court decision cannot be enforced in Russia.

Lawyers at DTK Partners provide full legal support regarding the recognition, legalization, and enforcement of foreign court decisions in the Russian Federation.

What Is Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign Court Decisions

Recognition of foreign court decisions is the legal confirmation that such decisions may take effect in Russia. Enforcement of foreign court decisions means the real ability to collect property, money, or other obligations in favor of the claimant.

Most often, these include:

  • decisions in civil or arbitral disputes;

  • decisions made in countries that have a treaty with Russia;

  • decisions that may be recognized based on the principle of reciprocity.

Conditions for Recognition of a Foreign Court Decision

To ensure that a foreign court decision has legal force in Russia, several conditions must be met:

  • the decision must be final and entered into legal force;

  • both parties must have been granted equal rights to defense;

  • Russian public policy must not be violated;

  • the decision must be issued by a competent court.

The presence of an international agreement or a bilateral treaty plays an important role in the recognition and enforcement process.

Procedure for Recognizing Foreign Court Decisions

The process involves the following steps:

  • Filing an application with a Russian court (arbitrazh or court of general jurisdiction);

  • Submitting a certified copy of the foreign court decision;

  • Translating documents into Russian and certifying them with a notary;

  • Proving that the decision has entered into legal force.

The Russian court’s decision gives the right to obtain a writ of execution and begin enforcement proceedings.

Why Recognition May Be Denied

A Russian court may refuse recognition if:

  • there is no international agreement in place;

  • the rights of the parties were violated in the foreign proceeding;

  • the decision contradicts Russian public policy;

  • the case falls under the exclusive jurisdiction of Russian courts.

An experienced lawyer will assess the risk of refusal in advance and develop a legal strategy.

Enforcement of Foreign Court Decisions by Bailiffs

After recognition, the court issues a writ of execution that is submitted to the Federal Bailiff Service. Bailiffs may:

  • seize bank accounts;

  • attach property;

  • restrict the debtor’s ability to leave the country.

This is a real mechanism for enforcing a foreign court decision in Russia.

Legal Support and Assistance from DTK Partners

DTK Partners’ lawyers can:

  • properly draft the application;

  • prepare the complete set of documents;

  • represent your interests in court;

  • obtain the writ of execution;

  • assist throughout the enforcement process.

We work with decisions from the USA, UK, China, Cyprus, Germany, Kazakhstan, and other jurisdictions.

Why Clients Choose DTK Partners

The recognition procedure requires a high level of legal qualification. Even a small error can lead to refusal. We offer:

  • deep expertise in international agreements and private international law;

  • understanding of Russian court practice;

  • protection of clients’ interests at every stage.

📞 Contact DTK Partners, and we will help you legalize and enforce a foreign court decision in Russia.