of the Supreme Court. The Judicial Department is responsible for administration of the courts. In fact, after the merger of old Supreme Court and former Supreme Court of Arbitration the new Supreme Court of Russia leads 2 subsystems of Russian judicial system: ordinary courts and arbitration courts. Ordinary courts Ordinary courts hear all criminal cases. Also ordinary courts hear administrative cases, civil cases, cases of administrative offenses with the exception of cases under the jurisdiction of arbitration courts. Ordinary courts are divided into 2 types: military and non-military (the courts of second type are also called "ordinary courts" in a narrow sense). Cassation courts Cassation courts became operational on October 1, 2019. They carry out the cassation review of cases which were heard by district courts or garrison military courts as the courts of first instance. Appellate courts Appellate courts became operational on October 1, 2019. They carry out the appeal review of cases which were heard by regional courts or military courts of military districts/fleets as the courts of first instance. Regional courts and military courts of military districts/fleets Regional courts (also called courts and city courts) are the courts at the regional level, though are not all named as such. This includes the supreme courts of the Republics of Russia, courts of the krais (territories; or courts), courts of the oblasts (regions; ), city courts of the federal cities of Russia (Moscow and Saint Petersburg), courts of the autonomous oblasts, and courts of the autonomous okrugs. The courts sit as both courts of first instance and appellate courts. As courts of first instance, they hear more complex civil cases, serious criminal cases and administrative cases with participation of regional authorities. A judge and a jury, or alternatively 3 judges, hear these cases. As appellate courts, they hear decisions of district courts that have not yet entered into force, and consist of 3 judges. The jurisdiction of military courts of military districts/fleets is similar to jurisdiction of regional courts, but military courts of military districts/fleets hear and review the cases relating to the military personnel only. District courts and garrison military courts District courts ( or ; also called or courts), which were called People's Courts until 1996, are primarily courts of first instance but sometimes hear appeals from magistrate courts. They are formed in areas ( or ), urban areas (), and cities (). Decisions of the court