The paper researches the beginning of the revision of the appeal, gives the dynamics of the institution development and defines its place in modern appeal. Special attention is paid to the present — day changes occurring in the appeal. The classical understanding of the limits of appellate review of a criminal case in the second instance, as it is set out in the Code of Criminal Procedure 2001, limiting it only to the limits of the appeal, is replaced with complete domination of the revision in the appeal. Complaint of a plaintiff or complaint of a prosecutor became the basis for reviewing of the case almost in full, regardless of the arguments set out in the complaint. Having examinined the theoretical and legal sources, and having analyzed sufficient materials of the judicial practice, the author comes to the conclusion that a significant expansion of the revision of the appeal, taking place today in this verifying authority, brings the appeal closer to the “Soviet” cassation and contradicts the very idea of the appeal in its classic sense. The author proposes to introduce to the Code of Criminal Procedure of the RF some changes limiting the revision in the appeal. The court, in the author’s opinion, should be entitled to check the criminal proceedings in full amount only in case if during the previous trial admission was made of substantial violations affecting the outcome of the case.