This paper considers the history of systematization of legislation in Russia by way of code of laws. The author refers to the consecutive stages in the systematization history and describes in details the particular solutions and the work done.
The earliest systematization attempts date back to 15th – 16th centuries. The paper contains the research in the codification elements in the Law Books of that time, 1649 Sobornoye Ulozheniye (Council Code), works of Prince N.I. Odoyevsky commission. The second stage is constituted by the systematization of Peter I aimed at collecting the supplements to 1649 Sobornoye Ulozheniye. In the author’s opinion, this systematization attempt was not successful. Another significant event in the national systematization periods was the efforts of M.M. Speransky. The paper analyses the outcome of this work, which was the Complete Collection of Laws and the Code of Laws of the Russian Empire. The final stage of systematization concerned herein contains the works of the Soviet Russia and then of the Russian Federation.
The author comes to the conclusion of necessity to continue the systematization activities, so far as the law-making process in the last twenty years has been undergoing the intense development stage.