PROCEDURE

The case originated in an application (no. 65017/01) against the Republic of Poland lodged with the Court under Article 34 of the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (“the Convention”) by a Polish national, Mr Mieczysław Król (“the applicant”), on 3 May 2000.

The applicant was represented by Mr L. Lachowicz, a lawyer practising in Komorów, Poland. The Polish Government (“the Government”) were represented by their Agents, Mr K. Drzewicki and Mr. J. Wołąsiewicz of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

On 12 March 2002 the Court decided to communicate the application. to the Government. Applying Article 29 § 3 of the Convention, it decided to rule on the admissibility and merits of the application at the same time.

THE FACTS

The applicant was born in 1948 and lives in Warsaw, Poland.

On 21 February 1994 the applicant sued a certain E.K. (“the defendant”) in the Warsaw Regional Court (Sąd Okręgowy), seeking payment for works which he had carried out for her. On 17 March 1994 the applicant was partly exempted from the payment of court fees.

The first hearing was fixed for 26 January 1995, but was eventually adjourned since the defendant was ill.

On 22 February 1995 the defendant lodged a counterclaim. The trial court held hearings on: 2 March, 18 April, 6 June and 3 October 1995 and on 16 January and 16 April 1996. The court heard evidence from several witnesses and from the defendant.

On 16 April 1996 the court ordered that expert evidence be obtained. On 10 May 1996 the expert submitted his opinion to the court. On 24 September 1996 the court held a hearing and heard evidence from the expert. The applicant requested the court to take new expert evidence.

During the hearing held on 24 April 1997 the court heard several witnesses. The applicant asked the court to appoint another expert. On 16 June 1997 the applicant applied for an exemption from the costs involved in obtaining an expert opinion. His request was granted on 28 October 1997. On 28 October 1997 another expert submitted his opinion to the trial court.

On 17 July 1998 the applicant asked the court to set a date for a hearing. He stressed that the court had only held two hearings per year. The next hearing was fixed for 9 November 1998, but was adjourned at the parties' request.

On 16 April 1999 the applicant again asked the court to obtain new expert evidence and set a date for a hearing as soon as possible. He submitted that he had been suffering from various ailments and for that reason the court should give priority to his case.

On 8 October 1999 the court, sitting in camera, decided to obtain an opinion from another expert. On 14 December 1999 the expert submitted his opinion to the court.

On an unspecified later date the applicant complained to the Ombudsman about the length of the proceedings. On 22 October 1999 the Ombudsman informed the applicant that his complaint had been referred to the President of the Warsaw Regional Court.

During the hearing held on 15 March 2000 the court heard an expert and ordered the parties to state their position within two weeks. The applicant submitted his pleadings on 27 March 2000.

On 25 August 2000 the applicant complained to the Minister of Justice, maintaining that the court was particularly slow in dealing with the case. In a letter to the applicant of 29 September 2000 the Minister of Justice conceded that the length of the proceedings was excessive.

On 11 October 2000 the Regional Court held a hearing. On 7 November 2000 the court held a viewing of the site. On 8 January 2001 and 12 March 2002 the court held further hearings.

On an unknown later date the Regional Court and the Court of Appeal gave judgments. Upon the applicant's subsequent cassation appeal, the proceedings are pending before the Supreme Court.
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CODE
DIRECT
65017/01
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correct
001-66727_a1_e2
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ORG
NO_MASK
Republic of Poland
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DEM
NO_MASK
Polish
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PERSON
DIRECT
Mr Mieczysław Król
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DATETIME
QUASI
3 May 2000
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PERSON
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Mr L. Lachowicz
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LOC
QUASI
Komorów, Poland
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ORG
NO_MASK
The Polish Government
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PERSON
QUASI
Mr K. Drzewicki
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Mr. J. Wołąsiewicz
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ORG
NO_MASK
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
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001-66727_a1_em12
DATETIME
QUASI
12 March 2002
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1948
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LOC
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Warsaw, Poland
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DATETIME
QUASI
21 February 1994
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001-66727_a1_em16
ORG
NO_MASK
Warsaw Regional Court (Sąd Okręgowy)
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DATETIME
QUASI
17 March 1994
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26 January 1995
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22 February 1995
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2 March
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18 April
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6 June
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3 October 1995
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16 January
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16 April 1996
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16 April 1996
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10 May 1996
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24 September 1996
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24 April 1997
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16 June 1997
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28 October 1997
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28 October 1997
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17 July 1998
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9 November 1998
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16 April 1999
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8 October 1999
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14 December 1999
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001-66727_a1_em38
ORG
NO_MASK
Ombudsman
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001-66727_a1_e37
001-66727_a1_em39
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QUASI
22 October 1999
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ORG
NO_MASK
Ombudsman
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ORG
NO_MASK
Regional Court
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001-66727_a1_e38
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DATETIME
QUASI
15 March 2000
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001-66727_a1_e39
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two weeks
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27 March 2000
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25 August 2000
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001-66727_a1_e42
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DEM
NO_MASK
Minister of Justice
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QUASI
29 September 2000
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DEM
NO_MASK
Minister of Justice
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QUASI
11 October 2000
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ORG
NO_MASK
001-66727_a1_em16
Regional Court
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QUASI
7 November 2000
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8 January 2001
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12 March 2002
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ORG
NO_MASK
Regional Court
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001-66727_a1_e47
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ORG
NO_MASK
Court of Appeal
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001-66727_a1_e48
001-66727_a1_em56
ORG
NO_MASK
Supreme Court
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001-66727_a6_e1
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CODE
DIRECT
65017/01
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correct
001-66727_a6_e2
001-66727_a6_em2
ORG
NO_MASK
Republic of Poland
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001-66727_a6_e2
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DEM
QUASI
Polish
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001-66727_a6_e3
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PERSON
DIRECT
Mr Mieczysław Król
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DATETIME
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3 May 2000
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PERSON
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Mr L. Lachowicz
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LOC
QUASI
Komorów, Poland
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001-66727_a6_em8
ORG
NO_MASK
001-66727_a6_em2
Polish
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001-66727_a6_e7
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PERSON
QUASI
Mr K. Drzewicki
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PERSON
QUASI
Mr. J. Wołąsiewicz
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12 March 2002
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DATETIME
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1948
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LOC
QUASI
Warsaw, Poland
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DATETIME
QUASI
21 February 1994
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PERSON
QUASI
E.K.
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ORG
QUASI
Warsaw Regional Court
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ORG
QUASI
001-66727_a6_em16
Sąd Okręgowy
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17 March 1994
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26 January 1995
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22 February 1995
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2 March, 18 April, 6 June and 3 October 1995
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16 January and 16 April 1996
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16 April 1996
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10 May 1996
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24 September 1996
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24 April 1997
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16 June 1997
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28 October 1997
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28 October 1997
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17 July 1998
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9 November 1998
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16 April 1999
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8 October 1999
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14 December 1999
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NO_MASK
Ombudsman
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DATETIME
QUASI
22 October 1999
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ORG
NO_MASK
Ombudsman
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ORG
QUASI
Warsaw Regional Court
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15 March 2000
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NO_MASK
two weeks
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27 March 2000
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25 August 2000
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29 September 2000
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ORG
NO_MASK
Justice
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QUASI
11 October 2000
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NO_MASK
Regional Court
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7 November 2000
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8 January 2001
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12 March 2002
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NO_MASK
Regional Court
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NO_MASK
Supreme Court
Mieczysław Król
POL
CHAMBER
Task: Annotate the document to anonymise the following person: Mieczysław Król