Аннотация
The enactment of the Criminal Procedure Code in 2001, in which the adversariality principle was fixed, catalyzed discussions on the essence of adversariality principle, on its normative display and its role in law-enforcement practice. The article deals with adversariality models, reflected in various forms in legislation due to the different historical periods: from the Statute of Criminal Proceedings of 1864 to the Criminal Procedure Code of the Russian Federation. The author describes the developing theoretical views on adversariality and procedural functions, reflecting as well in procedural legislation due to the expression of adversariality principle. The large focus is on the current criminal procedure rules to determine whether adversariality as a constitutional principle of criminal procedure correlates to concrete normative provisions about acting parties of criminal proceedings. The author affirms that adversariality per se displays itself entirely within the judicial activities, however it should be treated as a principle for the whole criminal procedure, because of its meaning and the role for achievement of criminal proceedings goals.