Tair Kulteleev The first Kazakh legal scholar Date of Birth: 11.11.1911

1. The Pioneering Kazakh Legal Scholar
2. The Early Years
3. Academic and Military Service
4. Founding the Law Sector
5. Research and Teaching
6. Legacy in Legal Education and Research
7. Focus on Kazakh Customary Law
8. Publication of "Materials on Kazakh Customary Law"

The Pioneering Kazakh Legal Scholar

Talgat M. Kulteleev was the first Kazakh scholar in law, a key figure in the establishment of legal science and education in Kazakhstan, and a renowned researcher of Kazakh customary law.

The Early Years

Kulteleev began his career as an associate professor in the criminal law department of the Almaty State Law Institute (AGYUI). In April 1940, he became director of AGYUI. In 1941, AGYUI merged with the evacuated Moscow Law Institute to create the first state law institute under the USSR Ministry of Justice.

Academic and Military Service

In 1942, Kulteleev was drafted into the Soviet Army but was discharged in December 1942 and appointed as a lecturer for the Communist Party of Kazakhstan (KP(b) of Kazakhstan). He also resumed his role as an associate professor in the criminal law department of the law institute.

Founding the Law Sector

In September 1943, Kulteleev was reappointed as director of AGYUI, which he led until November 1946. With the transformation of the Kazakh branch of the USSR Academy of Sciences into the Academy of Sciences of the Kazakh SSR in 1946, the first legal research institution in Kazakhstan was established: the Law Sector of the Academy of Sciences of the Kazakh SSR (later known as the Institute of Philosophy and Law and the Institute of State and Law of the National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Kazakhstan). Kulteleev was appointed as the first head of the Law Sector, where he worked until his death.

Research and Teaching

Kulteleev combined his scientific and pedagogical pursuits with practical work. He served in the republican Ministry of Justice and was elected as a member of the Supreme Court of the Kazakh SSR. From October 1951 to February 1953, he was seconded to the doctoral program in law at the USSR Academy of Sciences and completed his doctoral dissertation. However, he tragically passed away on February 15, 1953, before completing its defense.

Legacy in Legal Education and Research

Kulteleev's contributions as an organizer, educator, and scholar were instrumental in establishing the foundations of legal education and science in Kazakhstan. He initiated the training of qualified lawyers in the republic. His articles on the development of science and education in Kazakhstan, such as "Legal Science and Education in the Kazakh SSR and Our Tasks" (1948) and "The Paramount Tasks of Legal Sciences in Kazakhstan" (1951), hold historical value.

Focus on Kazakh Customary Law

Kulteleev pioneered the systematic study of Kazakh customary law. He analyzed a wide range of issues related to its pre-revolutionary evolution, institutions, and written and oral sources. He particularly delved into specific norms and institutions (barimta, kalym, kun, etc.) that were frequently criticized as "remnants of patriarchal-feudal relations."

Publication of "Materials on Kazakh Customary Law"

Under Kulteleev's leadership, the Law Sector published the "Materials on Kazakh Customary Law" in 1948, which included eight sources on Kazakh customary law from the colonial period. This publication has been an invaluable resource for researchers in political and legal thought and Kazakh history.