PROCEDURE

The case originated in an application (no. 13401/03) 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 Jerzy Pardus (“the applicant”), on 26 March 2003.

The applicant was represented by Mr B. Pardus, a lawyer practising in Warsaw. The Polish Government (“the Government”) were represented by their Agent, Mr J. Wołąsiewicz of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The applicant alleged, in particular, that the length of several sets of proceedings in which he was involved exceeded a reasonable time, as provided for in Article 6 § 1 of the Convention.

On 9 September 2008 the Court declared the application partly inadmissible and decided to communicate the complaint concerning the length of one set of civil and one set of criminal proceedings to the Government. Applying Article 29 § 3 of the Convention, it decided to rule on the admissibility and merits of these complaints at the same time.

I. THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE CASE

A. Civil proceedings for payment

On 10 June 1994 the applicant lodged a claim for payment against a certain company with the Warsaw District Court (Sąd Rejonowy).

On 9 May 1995 the Warsaw District Court granted the claim and made an order for payment.

On an unspecified date the defendant appealed.

On 26 June 1996 the court stayed the proceedings.

Following a request by the applicant, on 29 January 1997 the court resumed the proceedings.

Subsequently the case lay dormant until 30 September 2002.

On 30 September 2002 the applicant requested the court to reconstruct the case file. He had become aware in the course of another set of proceedings against the member of the management board of the defendant company that the case file was incomplete.

On 25 May 2004, after the proceedings for reconstruction, the Warsaw District Court held that it was not possible to reconstruct the file and decided to continue the main proceedings for payment on the basis of the case file as it stood.

On 22 November 2005 the Warsaw District Court dismissed the defendant's appeal lodged against the order for payment. This decision became final on 6 January 2006.

B. The applicant's complaint under the 2004 Act in relation to the above proceedings

On 22 November 2005 the applicant lodged a complaint with the Warsaw Regional Court (Sąd Okręgowy) under the Law of 17 June 2004 on complaints about a breach of the right to a trial within a reasonable time (Ustawa o skardze na naruszenie prawa strony do rozpoznania sprawy w postępowaniu sądowym bez nieuzasadnionej zwłoki – “the 2004 Act”). He sought both a ruling declaring that the length of the proceedings before the Warsaw District Court had been excessive and just satisfaction.

On 26 January 2005 the Warsaw Regional Court gave a decision in which it acknowledged that the length of the proceedings had been excessive. It found that the Warsaw District Court had remained inactive between April 1997 and September 2002, that is, for the period of five years and six months. At the same time, however, the Warsaw Regional Court refused to grant the applicant any just satisfaction, holding that he had failed to reason his request.

C. Criminal proceedings against the applicant (complaint lodged with the Court on 22 September 2003)

On 17 September 1992 the applicant was arrested and, on 18 September 1992, detained, on suspicion of illegally distributing alcohol and handling stolen goods.

On 6 November 1992 the applicant was released from detention.

On the same day the applicant was placed under police supervision. He had to report to the police station twice a week and could not leave the city without the prosecutor's permission. This preventive measure was quashed by the Warsaw Regional Court in a decision of 1998, six years after its imposition.

On 27 June 1994 the applicant was indicted.

On 18 September 2000 the Warsaw District Court gave judgment, acquitted the applicant of two of the charges, found him guilty of handling stolen goods, and sentenced him to a fine.

On 4 June 2001 the applicant's lawyer appealed against that judgment.

On 30 August 2002 the Warsaw Regional Court quashed the first‑instance judgment and remitted the case to the prosecutor to complete the investigation.

On 28 January 2003 the Warsaw Regional Prosecutor stayed the investigation.

On 19 February 2003 the applicant's lawyer appealed against that decision.

On 7 April 2003 the Warsaw Appellate Prosecutor dismissed the appeal.

On 14 February 2005 the Warsaw Regional Prosecutor discontinued the investigation.

D. The applicant's complaint under the amended 2004 Act in relation to the criminal proceedings

On 21 July 2009 the applicant lodged a complaint with the Warsaw Regional Court that the length of the investigation was excessive. He relied on section 2 of the Act of 20 February 2009 amending the 2004 Act (see paragraph 31 below).

On 21 September 2009 the Warsaw Regional Court gave a decision and refused to examine the complaint. The court found that a complaint under the 2004 Act could be lodged only in respect of pending proceedings and that the criminal proceedings complained of had been terminated on 14 February 2005.

The applicant appealed and apparently his complaint was re‑examined. On 30 November 2009 the Warsaw Regional Court gave a decision in which it acknowledged that the length of the investigation had been excessive and awarded the applicant 10,000 Polish zlotys (PLN).
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-99413_a4_e1
001-99413_a4_em1
CODE
DIRECT
13401/03
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-99413_a4_e2
001-99413_a4_em2
ORG
NO_MASK
Republic of Poland
ETHNIC
insert
001-99413_a4_e3
001-99413_a4_em3
DEM
NO_MASK
Polish national
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-99413_a4_e4
001-99413_a4_em4
PERSON
DIRECT
Mr Jerzy Pardus
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-99413_a4_e5
001-99413_a4_em5
DATETIME
QUASI
26 March 2003
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-99413_a4_e6
001-99413_a4_em6
PERSON
QUASI
Mr B. Pardus
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-99413_a4_e7
001-99413_a4_em7
LOC
QUASI
Warsaw
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
insert
001-99413_a4_e8
001-99413_a4_em8
ORG
NO_MASK
Polish Government
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-99413_a4_e9
001-99413_a4_em9
PERSON
NO_MASK
Mr J. Wołąsiewicz
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
insert
001-99413_a4_e10
001-99413_a4_em10
ORG
NO_MASK
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-99413_a4_e11
001-99413_a4_em11
DATETIME
QUASI
9 September 2008
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-99413_a4_e12
001-99413_a4_em12
DATETIME
QUASI
10 June 1994
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
insert
001-99413_a4_e13
001-99413_a4_em13
ORG
NO_MASK
Warsaw District Court (Sąd Rejonowy)
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-99413_a4_e14
001-99413_a4_em14
DATETIME
QUASI
9 May 1995
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
insert
001-99413_a4_e13
001-99413_a4_em15
ORG
NO_MASK
001-99413_a4_em13
Warsaw District Court
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-99413_a4_e15
001-99413_a4_em16
DATETIME
QUASI
26 June 1996
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-99413_a4_e16
001-99413_a4_em17
DATETIME
QUASI
29 January 1997
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-99413_a4_e17
001-99413_a4_em18
DATETIME
NO_MASK
30 September 2002
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-99413_a4_e17
001-99413_a4_em19
DATETIME
NO_MASK
30 September 2002
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-99413_a4_e18
001-99413_a4_em20
DATETIME
QUASI
25 May 2004
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-99413_a4_e13
001-99413_a4_em21
ORG
NO_MASK
Warsaw District Court
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-99413_a4_e19
001-99413_a4_em22
DATETIME
QUASI
22 November 2005
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-99413_a4_e13
001-99413_a4_em23
ORG
NO_MASK
Warsaw District Court
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-99413_a4_e20
001-99413_a4_em24
DATETIME
QUASI
6 January 2006
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-99413_a4_e21
001-99413_a4_em25
MISC
NO_MASK
2004 Act
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-99413_a4_e19
001-99413_a4_em26
DATETIME
QUASI
22 November 2005
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
insert
001-99413_a4_e22
001-99413_a4_em27
ORG
NO_MASK
Warsaw Regional Court (Sąd Okręgowy)
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
insert
001-99413_a4_e21
001-99413_a4_em28
MISC
NO_MASK
Law of 17 June 2004 on complaints about a breach of the right to a trial within a reasonable time (Ustawa o skardze na naruszenie prawa strony do rozpoznania sprawy w postępowaniu sądowym bez nieuzasadnionej zwłoki – “the 2004 Act”)
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-99413_a4_e13
001-99413_a4_em29
ORG
NO_MASK
Warsaw District Court
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-99413_a4_e23
001-99413_a4_em30
DATETIME
QUASI
26 January 2005
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
insert
001-99413_a4_e22
001-99413_a4_em31
ORG
NO_MASK
001-99413_a4_em27
Warsaw Regional Court
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-99413_a4_e13
001-99413_a4_em32
ORG
NO_MASK
Warsaw District Court
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
insert
001-99413_a4_e24
001-99413_a4_em33
DATETIME
NO_MASK
April 1997
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
insert
001-99413_a4_e25
001-99413_a4_em34
DATETIME
NO_MASK
September 2002
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-99413_a4_e26
001-99413_a4_em35
DATETIME
NO_MASK
five years and six months
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-99413_a4_e22
001-99413_a4_em36
ORG
NO_MASK
Warsaw Regional Court
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-99413_a4_e27
001-99413_a4_em37
DATETIME
QUASI
22 September 2003
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-99413_a4_e28
001-99413_a4_em38
DATETIME
QUASI
17 September 1992
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-99413_a4_e29
001-99413_a4_em39
DATETIME
QUASI
18 September 1992
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-99413_a4_e30
001-99413_a4_em40
DATETIME
QUASI
6 November 1992
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-99413_a4_e22
001-99413_a4_em41
ORG
NO_MASK
Warsaw Regional Court
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-99413_a4_e31
001-99413_a4_em42
DATETIME
NO_MASK
1998
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-99413_a4_e32
001-99413_a4_em43
DATETIME
NO_MASK
six years
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-99413_a4_e33
001-99413_a4_em44
DATETIME
QUASI
27 June 1994
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-99413_a4_e34
001-99413_a4_em45
DATETIME
QUASI
18 September 2000
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-99413_a4_e13
001-99413_a4_em46
ORG
NO_MASK
Warsaw District Court
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-99413_a4_e35
001-99413_a4_em47
DATETIME
QUASI
4 June 2001
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-99413_a4_e36
001-99413_a4_em48
DATETIME
QUASI
30 August 2002
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-99413_a4_e22
001-99413_a4_em49
ORG
NO_MASK
Warsaw Regional Court
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-99413_a4_e37
001-99413_a4_em50
DATETIME
NO_MASK
28 January 2003
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-99413_a4_e38
001-99413_a4_em51
ORG
NO_MASK
Warsaw Regional Prosecutor
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-99413_a4_e39
001-99413_a4_em52
DATETIME
QUASI
19 February 2003
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-99413_a4_e40
001-99413_a4_em53
DATETIME
QUASI
7 April 2003
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-99413_a4_e41
001-99413_a4_em54
ORG
NO_MASK
Warsaw Appellate Prosecutor
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-99413_a4_e42
001-99413_a4_em55
DATETIME
QUASI
14 February 2005
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-99413_a4_e38
001-99413_a4_em56
ORG
NO_MASK
Warsaw Regional Prosecutor
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-99413_a4_e21
001-99413_a4_em57
MISC
NO_MASK
2004 Act
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-99413_a4_e43
001-99413_a4_em58
DATETIME
QUASI
21 July 2009
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-99413_a4_e22
001-99413_a4_em59
ORG
NO_MASK
Warsaw Regional Court
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
insert
001-99413_a4_e44
001-99413_a4_em60
MISC
NO_MASK
Act of 20 February 2009 amending the 2004 Act
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-99413_a4_e45
001-99413_a4_em61
DATETIME
QUASI
21 September 2009
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-99413_a4_e22
001-99413_a4_em62
ORG
NO_MASK
Warsaw Regional Court
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
insert
001-99413_a4_e21
001-99413_a4_em63
MISC
NO_MASK
001-99413_a4_em28
2004 Act
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-99413_a4_e42
001-99413_a4_em64
DATETIME
QUASI
14 February 2005
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-99413_a4_e46
001-99413_a4_em65
DATETIME
QUASI
30 November 2009
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-99413_a4_e22
001-99413_a4_em66
ORG
NO_MASK
Warsaw Regional Court
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
insert
001-99413_a4_e47
001-99413_a4_em67
QUANTITY
NO_MASK
10,000 Polish zlotys (PLN)
Jerzy Pardus
POL
CHAMBER
Task: Annotate the document to anonymise the following person: Jerzy Pardus