Annotation

The modern judiciary is the key element of a law-governed state ensuring supremacy of law and protection of human rights. The article reviews historical and legal prerequisites for the development of judicial federalism, evolution of the lay justice status, and consequences of centralization of the judicial system. Taking into account the elimination of constitutional (statutory) courts of constituent entities of the Russian Federation and financing of lay justice with the federal budget, the author substantiates the position that, although a justice of the peace maintains the illusory status of a judge of a constituent entity of the Russian Federation, in fact it constitutes the main link in the federal (decentralized) judicial system.