PROCEDURE

The case originated in an application (no. 48001/99) against the Republic of Poland lodged with the European Commission of Human Rights (“the Commission”) under former Article 25 of the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (“the Convention”) by a Polish national, Stanisław Goc (“the applicant”), on 6 July 1998. The applicant having died on 2 December 2000, the Court accepted that his son, T.G., was entitled to pursue the application.

The applicant was not represented before the Court. The Polish Government (“the Government”) were represented by their Agent, Mr K. Drzewicki, of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The applicant alleged, in particular, that his right to a “hearing within a reasonable time” had not been respected.

The application was transmitted to the Court on 1 November 1998, when Protocol No. 11 to the Convention came into force (Article 5 § 2 of Protocol No. 11).

The application was allocated to the Fourth Section of the Court (Rule 52 § 1 of the Rules of Court). Within that Section, the Chamber that would consider the case (Article 27 § 1 of the Convention) was constituted as provided in Rule 26 § 1 of the Rules of Court.

By a decision of 23 October 2001 the Chamber of the Fourth Section declared the application admissible.

On 1 November 2001 the Court changed the composition of its Sections (Rule 25 § 1). This case was assigned to the newly composed Fourth Section (Rule 52 § 1).

THE FACTS

The applicant was born in 1904 and lived in Warsaw. He was the co-owner of a plot of land and a house in Warsaw.

On 23 September 1980 G.G., one of the co-owners (“the petitioner”) filed with the Warsaw-Praga District Court (Sąd Rejonowy) an application for division of the property.

On 2 August 1984 the District Court gave a decision and divided the property. On 21 January 1985, on the applicant’s appeal, the Warsaw Regional Court (Sąd Wojewódzki) quashed the decision and remitted the case to the District Court.

On 24 September 1986, at the request of the petitioner, the District Court issued an interim order enjoining third parties from entering the attic of the house. On 27 May 1988 the court issued another interim order enjoining the applicant and his wife from carrying out any work to the house. On 24 November 1989 the court rejected another request of the petitioner for an interim order.

Having obtained a number of expert reports, the District Court gave a preliminary decision (postanowienie wstępne) on 22 December 1989. It determined that the house in question consisted of two apartments, basements and an attic. On 9 July 1990, on the applicant’s appeal, the Regional Court quashed this decision.

On 24 December 1990 the applicant filed with the District Court an application for permission to carry out works on the gas supply to his apartment. On 8 March 1991 the court decided to join his application to the merits of the proceedings concerning the division of the property. On 7 June 1991 the Warsaw Regional Court rejected the applicant’s appeal against the decision of 8 March 1991 as inadmissible in law.

On 4 March 1992 the District Court rejected the applicant’s request for an interim order authorising works to be carried out on the attic of the house. On 10 June 1992 the Regional Court upheld this decision.

It appears that on an unspecified date in 1993 the District Court decided to carry out an inspection of the property. In April 1993 the parties paid an advance fee towards the costs of the inspection, as ordered by the court. By a letter of 8 April 1994 the applicant’s lawyer informed the court that although the date of the inspection had been fixed on two occasions (for 14 October 1993 and 24 March 1994), it had not taken place since the representatives of the court had not turned up at the site. On 29 April 1994 the court rejected the applicant’s request to inspect the property. On 27 May 1994 the applicant’s appeal against this decision was dismissed by the District Court as being inadmissible in law.

On 29 April 1994 the District Court ordered that expert evidence be obtained from the Institute of Construction Technology (Instytut Techniki Budowlanej). As from 2 February 1995 the case file was with the Regional Court, following the applicant’s appeal against an unspecified decision (procedural order) of the District Court. On 20 March 1995 the Regional Court upheld the decision. On 27 April 1995 the case file was returned to the District Court.

On 4 May 1995 the District Court requested the Director of the Institute of Construction Technology to appoint an expert to take charge of the preparation of the report ordered by the court. On 8 June 1995 the case file was sent to the Institute of Construction Technology in order to have the report prepared within a two-month period. On 16 August 1995 the District Court requested the Institute to expedite the preparation of the report. On 22 November 1995 the court received the expert report and served copies on the parties.

In December 1995 the applicant submitted to the District Court his observations on the expert report. On 22 December 1995 and 20 February 1996 B.G., one of the co-owners, submitted her observations on the expert report. On 15 March 1996 the applicant submitted his pleadings to the court.

On 20 March 1996 the applicant again filed with the District Court an application for permission to carry out works on the gas supply to his apartment.

On 9 April 1996 the District Court held a hearing. On 20 April 1996 G.G. and B.G. (the co-owners) submitted their pleadings to the court. On 29 October 1996 the District Court held a hearing.

On 21 November 1996 the applicant requested that B.G. and G.G. be ordered to inform the court about their position on his request of 20 March 1996 for permission to carry out works on the gas supply to his apartment.

On 3 February 1997 B.G. and G.G. requested the District Court to adjourn the proceedings on account of B.G.’s poor state of health. They also informed the court that they objected to any works being carried out to the house by the applicant.

On 4 February 1997 the District Court stayed the proceedings because it could not establish the address of D.B., one of the parties to the proceedings. The proceedings were resumed on 6 October 1997.

On 16 December 1997 the District Court again stayed the proceedings because B.G. had died on 3 October 1997.

On 16 September 1999 the applicant submitted to the District Court information about B.G.’s sole heir and requested that the proceedings be resumed. On 17 November 1999 the court rejected the applicant’s request. On 8 February 2000 the Regional Court upheld that decision.

On 10 March 2000 the applicant’s lawyer requested the District Court to appoint a guardian to act on behalf of the estate of the late B.G. On 30 August 2000 the court appointed G.G., the petitioner, as guardian of the estate.

On 2 December 2000 the applicant died at the age of ninety-six. On an unknown date in 2001 the Warsaw-Praga District Court ruled that the applicant’s sons, T.G. and E.G., were the heirs to his estate. Consequently, T.G. and E.G. took the place of the applicant in the proceedings. Later, the lawyer of T.G. requested the court to resume the proceedings. On 23 October 2001 T.G’s lawyer requested the President of the Civil Division of the District Court to expedite the proceedings.

It appears that the proceedings are still stayed and, therefore, remain pending before the Warsaw-Praga District Court.
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001-60428_a2_e1
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CODE
DIRECT
48001/99
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correct
001-60428_a2_e2
001-60428_a2_em2
ORG
NO_MASK
001-60428_a2_em8
Republic of Poland
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DEM
QUASI
Polish
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PERSON
DIRECT
Stanisław Goc
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QUASI
6 July 1998
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DATETIME
QUASI
2 December 2000
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PERSON
QUASI
T.G.
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001-60428_a2_em8
ORG
QUASI
The Polish Government
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PERSON
QUASI
Mr K. Drzewicki
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QUASI
23 October 2001
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NO_MASK
Chamber of the Fourth Section
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QUASI
1904
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QUASI
Warsaw
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LOC
QUASI
Warsaw
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DATETIME
QUASI
23 September 1980
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PERSON
QUASI
G.G.
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QUASI
Warsaw-Praga District Court
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ORG
QUASI
001-60428_a2_em17
Sąd Rejonowy
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DATETIME
QUASI
2 August 1984
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NO_MASK
001-60428_a2_em17
District Court
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DATETIME
QUASI
21 January 1985
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QUASI
Warsaw Regional Court
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ORG
QUASI
001-60428_a2_em22
Sąd Wojewódzki
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ORG
NO_MASK
District Court
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DATETIME
QUASI
24 September 1986
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NO_MASK
District Court
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DATETIME
QUASI
27 May 1988
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QUASI
24 November 1989
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NO_MASK
District Court
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DATETIME
QUASI
22 December 1989
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MISC
QUASI
two apartments, basements and an attic
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DATETIME
QUASI
9 July 1990
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NO_MASK
Regional Court
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DATETIME
QUASI
24 December 1990
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ORG
NO_MASK
District Court
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DATETIME
QUASI
8 March 1991
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QUASI
7 June 1991
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QUASI
Warsaw Regional Court
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001-60428_a2_em39
DATETIME
QUASI
8 March 1991
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QUASI
4 March 1992
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ORG
NO_MASK
District Court
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QUASI
10 June 1992
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NO_MASK
Regional Court
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001-60428_a2_em44
DATETIME
QUASI
1993
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ORG
NO_MASK
District Court
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001-60428_a2_em46
DATETIME
QUASI
April 1993
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QUASI
8 April 1994
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14 October 1993
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24 March 1994
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QUASI
29 April 1994
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QUASI
27 May 1994
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ORG
NO_MASK
District Court
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001-60428_a2_em53
DATETIME
QUASI
29 April 1994
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ORG
NO_MASK
District Court
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001-60428_a2_em55
ORG
NO_MASK
Institute of Construction Technology
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001-60428_a2_e38
001-60428_a2_em56
ORG
QUASI
001-60428_a2_em55
Instytut Techniki Budowlanej
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001-60428_a2_e39
001-60428_a2_em57
DATETIME
QUASI
2 February 1995
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001-60428_a2_em58
ORG
NO_MASK
Regional Court
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ORG
NO_MASK
District Court
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001-60428_a2_e40
001-60428_a2_em60
DATETIME
QUASI
20 March 1995
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001-60428_a2_em61
ORG
NO_MASK
Regional Court
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001-60428_a2_e41
001-60428_a2_em62
DATETIME
QUASI
27 April 1995
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001-60428_a2_em63
ORG
NO_MASK
District Court
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001-60428_a2_e42
001-60428_a2_em64
DATETIME
QUASI
4 May 1995
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001-60428_a2_e15
001-60428_a2_em65
ORG
NO_MASK
District Court
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001-60428_a2_e38
001-60428_a2_em66
ORG
NO_MASK
Institute of Construction Technology
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001-60428_a2_e43
001-60428_a2_em67
DATETIME
QUASI
8 June 1995
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001-60428_a2_em68
ORG
NO_MASK
Institute of Construction Technology
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001-60428_a2_e44
001-60428_a2_em69
DATETIME
NO_MASK
two-month
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001-60428_a2_e45
001-60428_a2_em70
DATETIME
QUASI
16 August 1995
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001-60428_a2_e15
001-60428_a2_em71
ORG
NO_MASK
District Court
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001-60428_a2_e38
001-60428_a2_em72
ORG
NO_MASK
001-60428_a2_em68
Institute
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001-60428_a2_e46
001-60428_a2_em73
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QUASI
22 November 1995
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QUASI
December 1995
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NO_MASK
District Court
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001-60428_a2_em76
DATETIME
QUASI
22 December 1995
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DATETIME
QUASI
20 February 1996
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PERSON
QUASI
B.G.
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001-60428_a2_em79
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15 March 1996
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DATETIME
QUASI
20 March 1996
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NO_MASK
District Court
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DATETIME
QUASI
9 April 1996
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NO_MASK
District Court
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001-60428_a2_em84
DATETIME
QUASI
20 April 1996
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QUASI
G.G.
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PERSON
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B.G.
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QUASI
29 October 1996
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NO_MASK
District Court
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QUASI
21 November 1996
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B.G.
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G.G.
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QUASI
20 March 1996
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QUASI
3 February 1997
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PERSON
QUASI
B.G.
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001-60428_a2_em95
PERSON
QUASI
G.G.
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NO_MASK
District Court
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PERSON
QUASI
B.G.
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DATETIME
QUASI
4 February 1997
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ORG
NO_MASK
District Court
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001-60428_a2_em100
PERSON
QUASI
D.B.
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001-60428_a2_em101
DATETIME
QUASI
6 October 1997
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DATETIME
QUASI
16 December 1997
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ORG
NO_MASK
District Court
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PERSON
QUASI
B.G.
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QUASI
3 October 1997
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16 September 1999
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NO_MASK
District Court
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PERSON
QUASI
B.G.
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001-60428_a2_em109
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QUASI
17 November 1999
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001-60428_a2_em110
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QUASI
8 February 2000
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001-60428_a2_em111
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NO_MASK
Regional Court
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001-60428_a2_em112
DATETIME
QUASI
10 March 2000
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ORG
NO_MASK
District Court
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PERSON
QUASI
B.G.
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001-60428_a2_em115
DATETIME
QUASI
30 August 2000
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001-60428_a2_em116
PERSON
QUASI
G.G.
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001-60428_a2_em117
DATETIME
QUASI
2 December 2000
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001-60428_a2_e68
001-60428_a2_em118
DATETIME
QUASI
age of ninety-six
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001-60428_a2_e69
001-60428_a2_em119
DATETIME
QUASI
2001
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001-60428_a2_e15
001-60428_a2_em120
ORG
QUASI
Warsaw-Praga District Court
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001-60428_a2_e7
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QUASI
T.G.
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E.G.
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PERSON
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T.G.
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001-60428_a2_em124
PERSON
QUASI
E.G
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
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001-60428_a2_em125
PERSON
QUASI
T.G.
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
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001-60428_a2_e9
001-60428_a2_em126
DATETIME
QUASI
23 October 2001
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
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001-60428_a2_em127
PERSON
QUASI
001-60428_a2_em125
T.G
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
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001-60428_a2_e72
001-60428_a2_em128
ORG
NO_MASK
Civil Division of the District Court
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001-60428_a2_e15
001-60428_a2_em129
ORG
QUASI
Warsaw-Praga District Court
Stanisław Goc
POL
CHAMBER
Task: Annotate the document to anonymise the following person: Stanisław Goc