Experience in court
Published examples from the practice of PRO IN LAW: criminal defence, civil and commercial disputes, appeals and the protection of clients’ rights.
Our advocates’ work includes acquittals, the discontinuation of criminal proceedings, reduced sentences, the restoration of rights and compensation for financial and non-pecuniary harm. Each case below describes the circumstances, the defence’s position and the outcome.
Professional confidentiality limits what we can publish. These examples are shared with our clients’ consent and without their personal details.
The 2026 materials are based on reports by the representatives involved. Where the precise date of the court decision is not given, the publication date is shown.
The defence challenged a parking fine imposed by the Transport Committee. The case was considered repeatedly by district, city and cassation courts.
Outcome. The cassation court identified serious shortcomings in the assessment of the circumstances. Following further proceedings, St Petersburg City Court overturned the decision and discontinued the case.
The rights holder sought RUB 166,000 in compensation for the use of an image. The defence examined the author’s placement of the image on Adobe Stock and submitted objections supported by a documented inspection of the page.
Outcome. According to the report of the outcome, the court awarded RUB 10,000. The outcome was a reduction in compensation; an image’s availability on a stock-photo website does not in itself authorise its free use.
Krasnoselsky District Court of St Petersburg heard a criminal case concerning an advertisement offering to buy bank cards. The defence presented arguments about the client’s role and level of awareness.
Outcome. The court imposed an 18-month suspended prison sentence with a probationary period of one year.
The advocate applied to the court for the early conditional release of a client who was serving a sentence.
Outcome. The court granted the defence’s application for parole.
Moscow Regional Court considered an appeal in a dispute seeking to recover more than RUB 6 million in alleged unjust enrichment from our client.
Outcome. The decision dismissing the claim was upheld. According to the report of the outcome, the decision became final.
Following a road accident, a motorcyclist was held administratively liable for failing to maintain sufficient lateral clearance. The defence identified contradictions between the video recording and the accident diagram.
Outcome. Nevsky District Court initially upheld the decision. St Petersburg City Court subsequently highlighted unresolved contradictions. On reconsideration, the proceedings were discontinued because the allegations had not been proven. Persistent appeals and examination of the video evidence secured the outcome.
The tax inspectorate sought to recover more than RUB 2.6 million in late-payment interest from a company. The defence objected, including on the ground that the mandatory pre-action procedure had not been followed.
Outcome. The Commercial Court of St Petersburg and the Leningrad Region established that no demand for payment of the disputed debt had been sent to the taxpayer and left the application without consideration. According to the advocate, the ruling became final. This was a procedural outcome: the underlying debt claim was not decided on its merits.
A justice of the peace at judicial district No. 175 in St Petersburg considered an administrative case under Article 20.25 of the Russian Code of Administrative Offences. The advocate applied for the proceedings to be discontinued on the ground that the offence was insignificant.
Outcome. The court granted the application and discontinued the proceedings, issuing an oral admonition.
The defence prepared an application for the early conditional release of a client convicted in connection with a road accident in which a person was seriously injured.
Outcome. Kalininsky District Court granted the application for parole.
The wife of a motorcyclist who died in a road accident approached PRO IN LAW. The taxi driver involved maintained that he could not have seen the approaching motorcycle, which he alleged was speeding. An automotive technical examination found that the accident was caused by the taxi driver’s serious traffic violation: making a U-turn where it was prohibited. The motorcyclist’s minor excess speed could not have changed the outcome.
Outcome. The court imposed the maximum available sentence despite the defendant’s advanced age and awarded the widow RUB 2 million for non-pecuniary harm. Following an appeal by her representative, Mikhail Timoshatov, St Petersburg City Court increased the period of disqualification from driving.
A police officer accused of attempting to receive a large bribe approached PRO IN LAW. He faced between seven and twelve years in prison. The defence maintained that the intermediary had falsely implicated the officer to reduce his own sentence. The advocate sought a confrontation, witness interviews and documents confirming that no agreement to transfer money existed. A report of possible provocation of a bribe had also previously been sent to police management.
Outcome. Four months after the arrest, the criminal proceedings were discontinued on exonerating grounds because the constituent elements of an offence were absent.
A young man accused of four counts of drug trafficking faced a potential sentence of up to twenty years. The defence presented evidence supporting rehabilitation without a lengthy period of imprisonment, including personal references, mitigating circumstances, active cooperation with investigators and the absence of prior convictions.
Outcome. The court accepted the defence’s arguments and imposed three years and three months’ imprisonment.
A woman seeking support for two children approached the association after filing her claim. Following a legal assessment, Samira Skorykh explained the appropriate course of action and joined the proceedings as her representative. The claim was amended to seek a substantially higher amount.
Outcome. The court accepted the claimant’s evidence and awarded twice the amount sought in the original claim.
An elderly client was persuaded to sign a car purchase contract shortly before the dealership closed, without sufficient time to review the terms. After leaving the premises, he found that the car could not exceed 40 km/h. Mikhail Timoshatov promptly submitted a complaint to the dealership and brought the incident to the attention of the media.
Outcome. All money paid was refunded, the sale contract was cancelled and the loan obligation was brought to an end, preventing further financial losses.
A St Petersburg college student was detained on allegations of large-scale drug trafficking after taking a questionable part-time job without fully understanding the consequences. At the defence’s initiative, a forensic psychiatric examination was conducted and evidence was collected of his limited involvement in the scheme.
Outcome. The court accepted Mikhail Timoshatov’s position and imposed a six-year suspended prison sentence, without sending the client to a penal colony.
A woman who had lost a civil case faced a claim for RUB 75,000 in the other party’s legal costs. Samira Skorykh, head of the association’s St Petersburg office, assessed the application and case materials, prepared reasoned written objections and presented the client’s position in court.
Outcome. The court accepted the objections and reduced the recoverable costs to RUB 25,000.
The mother of a student approached PRO IN LAW after he was detained in a case concerning the unauthorised use of an acquaintance’s bank card for online purchases. The cardholder had reported the transactions without knowing who made them. After he was identified, the student was remanded in custody during the investigation.
Outcome. Mikhail Timoshatov secured the student’s release in the courtroom. As reported on the Russian case page, the court did not impose an immediate custodial sentence, and the client was not treated as having a criminal record.
First Vice-President Vasily Chugudaev defended the accused in the case concerning the major fire at Nevskaya Manufaktura. From the outset, the defence challenged both the client’s guilt and the legal classification of the events. Its closing submissions led the court to resume the hearing after retiring to deliberate, and the prosecutor amended the charge.
Outcome. The court discontinued the criminal case.