Бремя доказывания возмездности и добросовестности приобретения чужого имущества. Об изменении подхода высшей судебной инстанции

Закон. 2019. № 8. С. 153–161.

Erokhova M.

In this article author analyses the question, who has to prove good faith acquisition of someone else’s property when a vindication claim is submitted. Does the good faith acquisition has to the objection of the defendant or does proving to the contrary constitute an element of proof for the property rights of the plaintiff? The article is based on the analysis of judicial and legislative changes of the Russian law. The author maintains that Article 223(2) of the Russian Civil Code makes a bona fide purchaser for value the new owner — by virtue of the law — of a thing which has been alienated from the owner at his own will, so the plaintiff seeking vindication has to prove the right of ownership; therefore, it is the plaintiff who must prove the absence of the good faith acquisition.. The author explains how to obtain evidence of gratuitous acquisition and/or bad faith on the part of the defendant, and admits that in disputes over the rights to real estate one can refer to a registration case as a source of evidence, while titles to movable property are registered in no single source so proving the plaintiff’s right to it is extremely difficult.

Keywords: бремя доказывания, виндикация