Contents
In brief
The Dzerzhinsky District Court of St. Petersburg is one of eight Russian first-instance courts that hear applications for the return of a child, or for the exercise of rights of access, under an international treaty of the Russian Federation.
An application is filed with this court when the child is present within the Northwestern Federal District — even if the child lives in another region of the district rather than in St. Petersburg.
- When it applies
- the child is in the Northwestern Federal District
- First-instance court
- Dzerzhinsky District Court of St. Petersburg
- Court address
- 38 Vosstaniya Street, St. Petersburg, 191123
- Appeal
- St. Petersburg City Court
This page explains when the Dzerzhinsky District Court of St. Petersburg hears a case on the return of a child or on rights of access, which regions fall under its jurisdiction, and what to consider before filing.
This material is for information only and is not individual legal advice.
Why the Dzerzhinsky District Court of St. Petersburg
Article 244.11 of the Russian Code of Civil Procedure assigns child return and access cases to the Dzerzhinsky District Court of St. Petersburg when the child is present within the Northwestern Federal District. What matters is where the child actually is, not where the parents are registered or where the respondent lives.
Regions of the Northwestern Federal District
The Northwestern Federal District comprises the Republic of Karelia, the Komi Republic, the Arkhangelsk Region, the Nenets Autonomous Area, the Vologda, Kaliningrad, Leningrad, Murmansk, Novgorod and Pskov Regions, and the city of St. Petersburg.
Special jurisdiction is especially noticeable for the Kaliningrad Region: although the region is separated from the rest of Russia by the territory of other states, applications concerning a child present in Kaliningrad are heard in St. Petersburg.
Regions of the district border, among others, Finland, Norway, Estonia and Latvia, and the Kaliningrad Region borders Poland and Lithuania. For families with ties to neighboring countries, it is important to check before filing whether the Convention is in force between Russia and the state concerned.
The court's address and official website
Address: 38 Vosstaniya Street, St. Petersburg, 191123. Official website: dzr.spb.sudrf.ru (in Russian).
Time limits and appeal
The application is heard within no more than 42 days of its acceptance by the court, with the mandatory participation of the prosecutor and the guardianship authority. Appeals against decisions of the Dzerzhinsky District Court of St. Petersburg are heard by the St. Petersburg City Court: the appeal is filed within 10 days of the decision being issued in final form, and the appellate court hears the case within no more than one month.
When to consult a lawyer
If the child is in the Northwestern Federal District, a lawyer can help confirm the jurisdiction of the Dzerzhinsky District Court of St. Petersburg, prepare the application and evidence, and — where there is a risk that the child will be taken away — apply for interim measures.
Questions and answers
The child is in Kaliningrad. Where is the application filed?
With the Dzerzhinsky District Court of St. Petersburg: the Kaliningrad Region belongs to the Northwestern Federal District.
Who hears an appeal against a decision of the Dzerzhinsky District Court of St. Petersburg?
The St. Petersburg City Court. The appeal is filed within 10 days of the decision being issued in final form, and the appellate court hears the case within no more than one month.
Sources
- Russian Code of Civil Procedure, Article 244.11 — special jurisdiction: the Dzerzhinsky District Court of St. Petersburg for the Northwestern Federal District
- Russian Code of Civil Procedure, Article 244.15 — 42-day time limit; participation of the prosecutor and the guardianship authority
- Russian Code of Civil Procedure, Article 244.17 — the appeal and the time limit for appellate review
- Official website of the Dzerzhinsky District Court of St. Petersburg — address, contacts, working hours, case status (in Russian)
Related materials
Author
Artur Kuznetsov
Attorney with international family, inheritance and litigation practice. This material is not individual legal advice.
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