TRENDS IN DEVELOPING FAMILY MEDIATION IN THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION AND ITS CONSTITUENT ENTITIES

Introduction. Family mediation is a social and legal institute that helps effectively resolve family law disputes and conflicts, protect the interests of families and children, and relieve the judicial system of considering family disputes. The article aims at studying the use of family mediation in constituent entities of the Russian Federation and determining its development trends. Materials and methods. The research object is family mediation as a conciliation procedure, as well as its specific features and prospects for its development. The existing empirical and theoretical studies were used as sources. The authors analyzed the statistical data posted on the official website of the Federal State Statistics Service and scientific articles on the issue under consideration. In addition, they used general scientific (analysis, synthesis, induction and deduction, etc.), historical-legal, comparative-legal, formal-legal, sociological, theoretical, prognostic, and other research methods. Results. While analyzing the development of family mediation in Russia and its regions, the authors examine theoretical aspects of its effectiveness, historical context, and development. They consider the specific use of mediation in constituent entities of the Russian Federation and present prospects for its further development. As a result, the authors have revealed the underdevelopment of family mediation in the Russian Federation and substantiated the need for taking a set of measures to increase the use of mediation in family law disputes and conflicts. Conclusion. The study results provide an opportunity to formulate the specific features and development trends of family mediation in the Russian Federation. Further research can study the effectiveness of family mediation and analyze the feasibility of various methods and means of increasing the level of mediation in family law relations and its limitations caused by traditional and cultural characteristics of a particular region.