Born on 15 February 1959, in the town of Pavlovsky Posad of Moscow region. He is Russian. In 1981, he graduated with honors from the Faculty of Law of the Far Eastern State University, with a degree in Legal science. He has been studying full-time in the employer-sponsored postgraduate program of the Faculty of Law of Leningrad University. In 1985, under academic supervision of Professor B.V. Dreyshev, he defended his candidate of sciences (PhD) thesis entitled "Legal Support for Planning Integrated Urban Development (Administrative and Legal Aspect)». Since 1985, he had been teaching at the Faculty of Law of the Far Eastern National University (FENU) as assistant and senior lecturer in the Department of State and International Law, Since 1990 he was an associate professor in the Department of State and International Law, since 1996 he was a professor in the Department of State and Administrative Law, from 1989 to 1990 he was the deputy dean of the Faculty of Law of FENU, and in 1990 – 1995 he was dean of the Faculty of Law of FENU. Since 1995 he was the first deputy director, and then the head of Department of State and Administrative Law of the Law Institute of FENU. In 1999, he defended his Doctor’s thesis entitled "Electoral Law in the Legal System of the Russian Federation (Theoretical and Practical Issues)". He is the author or co-author of more than 300 publications on various issues of constitutional, administrative, municipal and other branches of law. From 1995 to 2008 he led the Electoral Commission of Primorsky Kray of Russia. By decision of the Duma of Primorsky Kray, he led the working group for the drafting of the Charter of Primorsky District, which was adopted on 12 September 1995. On 15 October 2008, at the 232nd session of the Federation Council, he was appointed Judge of the Constitutional Court of Russia under recommendation of the President of the Russian Federation D.A. Medvedev. Lawyer Emeritus of the Russian Federation. Honoured Scientist of the Russian Federation. Awarded the Order For Service to the Fatherland (2nd degree). He enjoys basketball. In 2007-2008, he was the Chairman of the board of the basketball club "Spartak of Primorye" (Vladivostok), playing in the Super League "A" of the Russian Basketball Championship.