PROCEDURE

The case originated in an application (no. 1524/02) 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 Zbigniew Majchrzak (“the applicant”), on 23 June 2001.

The Polish Government (“the Government”) were represented by their Agent, Mr J. Wołąsiewicz, of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

On 1 September 2005 the President of the Fourth Section decided to communicate the application. Under the provisions of Article 29 § 3 of the Convention, it was decided to examine the merits of the application at the same time as its admissibility.

THE FACTS

I. THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE CASE

The applicant was born in 1943 and lives in Poznań, Poland.

1. The facts prior to 1 May 1993

W.M., the applicant’s father died intestate in 1988. In November 1990, P.M., the applicant’s mother, requested the Poznań District Court to declare that she and her three children, including the applicant, were entitled to inherit from W.M.

In the course of those proceedings, the applicant’s mother, who had made three different wills, died in 1992. Consequently, on 9 March 1992 the applicant requested to join the case concerning the persons entitled to inherit from his mother to the original proceedings.

The District Court held 6 hearings in 1992.

2. The facts after 1 May 1993

The District Court held 4 hearings on the following dates: 27 September 1993; 4 August and 28 October 1994; and 2 October 1995.

On 11 February 1994 the court ordered that evidence from an expert be obtained. The expert report was served on the parties on 18 March 1994. On 28 October 1994 the court ordered that evidence from a handwriting expert be obtained. The expert report was submitted to the court on 7 June 1995.

On 16 October 1995 the Poznań District Court gave its decision (postanowienie). It ruled that the estate of W.M. should pass, according to the relevant statute, to the applicant’s mother, the applicant, his sister (B.K.) and W.M.’s granddaughter. In respect of the persons entitled to inherit from the applicant’s mother, the District Court held that her entire estate should pass to the applicant’s sister on the basis of the will made in 1990. The applicant appealed against the District Court’s decision.

On 27 February 1996 the Poznań Regional Court quashed the District Court’s decision on the persons entitled to inherit from the applicant’s mother and accordingly, remitted the case in part. It found that the first-instance proceedings in that respect had been null and void on the ground that M.M. (the applicant’s daughter), who had a legal interest in the case, had not been summoned to participate in the proceedings. The Regional Court upheld the remainder of the first-instance decision.

In the subsequent proceedings the District Court held 8 hearings on the following dates: 7 January, 26 September and 28 November 1997; 12 May, 21 August and 22 December 1998; and 8 and 22 February 1999.

On 18 March 1999 the Poznań District Court ruled that B.K. (the applicant’s sister) was the only person entitled to inherit from the applicant’s mother in accordance with the 1990 will. The applicant appealed against the District Court’s decision.

The Poznań Regional Court held a hearing on 9 November 1999. On 26 November 1999 it quashed the decision and remitted the case.

On 2 January 2001 the Poznan District Court held the first and the only hearing. On the same day it held in a decision that the only person entitled to inherit from P.M., the applicant’s mother, was M.M. (the applicant’s daughter) in accordance with the will made in 1988. It appears that none of the parties appealed against that decision.
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-76756_a1_e1
001-76756_a1_em1
CODE
DIRECT
1524/02
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
correct
001-76756_a1_e2
001-76756_a1_em2
ORG
NO_MASK
Republic of Poland
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
insert
001-76756_a1_e3
001-76756_a1_em3
DEM
NO_MASK
Polish
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-76756_a1_e4
001-76756_a1_em4
PERSON
DIRECT
Mr Zbigniew Majchrzak
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-76756_a1_e5
001-76756_a1_em5
DATETIME
QUASI
23 June 2001
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
insert
001-76756_a1_e6
001-76756_a1_em6
ORG
NO_MASK
Polish Government
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-76756_a1_e7
001-76756_a1_em7
PERSON
QUASI
Mr J. Wołąsiewicz
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-76756_a1_e8
001-76756_a1_em8
DATETIME
QUASI
1 September 2005
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-76756_a1_e9
001-76756_a1_em9
DATETIME
QUASI
1943
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
insert
001-76756_a1_e10
001-76756_a1_em10
LOC
QUASI
Poznań, Poland
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-76756_a1_e11
001-76756_a1_em11
DATETIME
QUASI
1 May 1993
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-76756_a1_e12
001-76756_a1_em12
DATETIME
QUASI
1988
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-76756_a1_e13
001-76756_a1_em13
DATETIME
QUASI
November 1990
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-76756_a1_e14
001-76756_a1_em14
ORG
QUASI
Poznań District Court
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
insert
001-76756_a1_e15
001-76756_a1_em15
DEM
NO_MASK
three children
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-76756_a1_e16
001-76756_a1_em16
DATETIME
QUASI
1992
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-76756_a1_e17
001-76756_a1_em17
DATETIME
QUASI
9 March 1992
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-76756_a1_e18
001-76756_a1_em18
ORG
NO_MASK
District Court
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
insert
001-76756_a1_e19
001-76756_a1_em19
QUANTITY
QUASI
6 hearings
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
insert
001-76756_a1_e16
001-76756_a1_em20
DATETIME
QUASI
1992
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
correct
001-76756_a1_e11
001-76756_a1_em21
DATETIME
QUASI
1 May 1993
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
correct
001-76756_a1_e18
001-76756_a1_em22
ORG
NO_MASK
District Court
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
insert
001-76756_a1_e20
001-76756_a1_em23
QUANTITY
QUASI
4 hearings
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-76756_a1_e21
001-76756_a1_em24
DATETIME
QUASI
27 September 1993
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
insert
001-76756_a1_e22
001-76756_a1_em25
DATETIME
QUASI
4 August and 28 October 1994
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-76756_a1_e23
001-76756_a1_em26
DATETIME
QUASI
2 October 1995
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-76756_a1_e24
001-76756_a1_em27
DATETIME
QUASI
11 February 1994
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-76756_a1_e25
001-76756_a1_em28
DATETIME
QUASI
18 March 1994
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
insert
001-76756_a1_e26
001-76756_a1_em29
DATETIME
QUASI
28 October 1994
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-76756_a1_e27
001-76756_a1_em30
DATETIME
QUASI
7 June 1995
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-76756_a1_e28
001-76756_a1_em31
DATETIME
QUASI
16 October 1995
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-76756_a1_e14
001-76756_a1_em32
ORG
QUASI
Poznań District Court
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-76756_a1_e18
001-76756_a1_em33
ORG
NO_MASK
District Court
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-76756_a1_e29
001-76756_a1_em34
DATETIME
QUASI
1990
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
insert
001-76756_a1_e18
001-76756_a1_em35
ORG
NO_MASK
District Court
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-76756_a1_e30
001-76756_a1_em36
DATETIME
QUASI
27 February 1996
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-76756_a1_e31
001-76756_a1_em37
ORG
QUASI
Poznań Regional Court
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-76756_a1_e18
001-76756_a1_em38
ORG
NO_MASK
District Court
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-76756_a1_e32
001-76756_a1_em39
ORG
NO_MASK
Regional Court
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-76756_a1_e18
001-76756_a1_em40
ORG
NO_MASK
District Court
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
insert
001-76756_a1_e33
001-76756_a1_em41
QUANTITY
QUASI
8 hearings
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-76756_a1_e34
001-76756_a1_em42
DATETIME
QUASI
7 January
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-76756_a1_e35
001-76756_a1_em43
DATETIME
QUASI
26 September
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-76756_a1_e36
001-76756_a1_em44
DATETIME
QUASI
28 November 1997
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
insert
001-76756_a1_e37
001-76756_a1_em45
DATETIME
QUASI
12 May
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
insert
001-76756_a1_e38
001-76756_a1_em46
DATETIME
QUASI
21 August
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-76756_a1_e39
001-76756_a1_em47
DATETIME
QUASI
22 December 1998
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
insert
001-76756_a1_e40
001-76756_a1_em48
DATETIME
QUASI
8 and 22 February 1999
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-76756_a1_e41
001-76756_a1_em49
DATETIME
QUASI
18 March 1999
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-76756_a1_e14
001-76756_a1_em50
ORG
QUASI
Poznań District Court
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-76756_a1_e29
001-76756_a1_em51
DATETIME
QUASI
1990
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-76756_a1_e18
001-76756_a1_em52
ORG
NO_MASK
District Court
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-76756_a1_e31
001-76756_a1_em53
ORG
QUASI
Poznań Regional Court
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-76756_a1_e42
001-76756_a1_em54
DATETIME
QUASI
9 November 1999
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
insert
001-76756_a1_e43
001-76756_a1_em55
DATETIME
QUASI
26 November 1999
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-76756_a1_e44
001-76756_a1_em56
DATETIME
QUASI
2 January 2001
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-76756_a1_e45
001-76756_a1_em57
ORG
QUASI
Poznan District Court
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-76756_a1_e12
001-76756_a1_em58
DATETIME
QUASI
1988
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-76756_a4_e1
001-76756_a4_em1
CODE
DIRECT
1524/02
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
correct
001-76756_a4_e2
001-76756_a4_em2
ORG
NO_MASK
Republic of Poland
ETHNIC
insert
001-76756_a4_e3
001-76756_a4_em3
DEM
NO_MASK
Polish national
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-76756_a4_e4
001-76756_a4_em4
PERSON
DIRECT
Mr Zbigniew Majchrzak
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-76756_a4_e5
001-76756_a4_em5
DATETIME
QUASI
23 June 2001
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
insert
001-76756_a4_e6
001-76756_a4_em6
ORG
NO_MASK
Polish Government
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-76756_a4_e7
001-76756_a4_em7
PERSON
NO_MASK
Mr J. Wołąsiewicz
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
insert
001-76756_a4_e8
001-76756_a4_em8
ORG
NO_MASK
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-76756_a4_e9
001-76756_a4_em9
DATETIME
QUASI
1 September 2005
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-76756_a4_e10
001-76756_a4_em10
DATETIME
QUASI
1943
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-76756_a4_e11
001-76756_a4_em11
LOC
QUASI
Poznań, Poland
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-76756_a4_e12
001-76756_a4_em12
DATETIME
QUASI
1 May 1993
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
correct
001-76756_a4_e13
001-76756_a4_em13
PERSON
QUASI
W.M.
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-76756_a4_e14
001-76756_a4_em14
DATETIME
QUASI
1988
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-76756_a4_e15
001-76756_a4_em15
DATETIME
QUASI
November 1990
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
correct
001-76756_a4_e16
001-76756_a4_em16
PERSON
QUASI
P.M.
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-76756_a4_e17
001-76756_a4_em17
ORG
NO_MASK
Poznań District Court
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-76756_a4_e13
001-76756_a4_em18
PERSON
QUASI
W.M.
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-76756_a4_e18
001-76756_a4_em19
DATETIME
QUASI
1992
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-76756_a4_e19
001-76756_a4_em20
DATETIME
QUASI
9 March 1992
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-76756_a4_e17
001-76756_a4_em21
ORG
NO_MASK
001-76756_a4_em17
District Court
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-76756_a4_e18
001-76756_a4_em22
DATETIME
QUASI
1992
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-76756_a4_e12
001-76756_a4_em23
DATETIME
QUASI
1 May 1993
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-76756_a4_e17
001-76756_a4_em24
ORG
NO_MASK
District Court
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-76756_a4_e20
001-76756_a4_em25
DATETIME
QUASI
27 September 1993
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-76756_a4_e21
001-76756_a4_em26
DATETIME
QUASI
4 August
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-76756_a4_e22
001-76756_a4_em27
DATETIME
QUASI
28 October 1994
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-76756_a4_e23
001-76756_a4_em28
DATETIME
QUASI
2 October 1995
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-76756_a4_e24
001-76756_a4_em29
DATETIME
QUASI
11 February 1994
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-76756_a4_e25
001-76756_a4_em30
DATETIME
QUASI
18 March 1994
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-76756_a4_e22
001-76756_a4_em31
DATETIME
QUASI
28 October 1994
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
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001-76756_a4_e26
001-76756_a4_em32
DATETIME
QUASI
7 June 1995
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-76756_a4_e27
001-76756_a4_em33
DATETIME
QUASI
16 October 1995
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-76756_a4_e17
001-76756_a4_em34
ORG
NO_MASK
Poznań District Court
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
correct
001-76756_a4_e13
001-76756_a4_em35
PERSON
QUASI
W.M.
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
insert
001-76756_a4_e28
001-76756_a4_em36
PERSON
QUASI
B.K.
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-76756_a4_e13
001-76756_a4_em37
PERSON
QUASI
W.M.
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-76756_a4_e17
001-76756_a4_em38
ORG
NO_MASK
District Court
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-76756_a4_e29
001-76756_a4_em39
DATETIME
QUASI
1990
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-76756_a4_e30
001-76756_a4_em40
ORG
NO_MASK
District Court’s
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-76756_a4_e31
001-76756_a4_em41
DATETIME
QUASI
27 February 1996
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-76756_a4_e32
001-76756_a4_em42
ORG
NO_MASK
Poznań Regional Court
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-76756_a4_e30
001-76756_a4_em43
ORG
NO_MASK
District Court’s
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
correct
001-76756_a4_e33
001-76756_a4_em44
PERSON
QUASI
M.M.
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-76756_a4_e32
001-76756_a4_em45
ORG
NO_MASK
001-76756_a4_em42
Regional Court
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-76756_a4_e17
001-76756_a4_em46
ORG
NO_MASK
District Court
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-76756_a4_e34
001-76756_a4_em47
DATETIME
QUASI
7 January
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-76756_a4_e35
001-76756_a4_em48
DATETIME
QUASI
26 September
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-76756_a4_e36
001-76756_a4_em49
DATETIME
QUASI
28 November 1997
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-76756_a4_e37
001-76756_a4_em50
DATETIME
QUASI
12 May, 21 August
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-76756_a4_e38
001-76756_a4_em51
DATETIME
QUASI
22 December 1998
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
insert
001-76756_a4_e39
001-76756_a4_em52
DATETIME
QUASI
8 and 22 February 1999
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-76756_a4_e40
001-76756_a4_em53
DATETIME
QUASI
18 March 1999
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-76756_a4_e17
001-76756_a4_em54
ORG
NO_MASK
Poznań District Court
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
insert
001-76756_a4_e28
001-76756_a4_em55
PERSON
QUASI
B.K.
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-76756_a4_e29
001-76756_a4_em56
DATETIME
QUASI
1990
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-76756_a4_e30
001-76756_a4_em57
ORG
NO_MASK
District Court’s
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-76756_a4_e32
001-76756_a4_em58
ORG
NO_MASK
Poznań Regional Court
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-76756_a4_e41
001-76756_a4_em59
DATETIME
QUASI
9 November 1999
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
insert
001-76756_a4_e42
001-76756_a4_em60
DATETIME
QUASI
26 November 1999
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-76756_a4_e43
001-76756_a4_em61
DATETIME
QUASI
2 January 2001
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-76756_a4_e44
001-76756_a4_em62
ORG
NO_MASK
Poznan District Court
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-76756_a4_e16
001-76756_a4_em63
PERSON
QUASI
P.M.
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-76756_a4_e33
001-76756_a4_em64
PERSON
QUASI
M.M.
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-76756_a4_e14
001-76756_a4_em65
DATETIME
QUASI
1988
Zbigniew Majchrzak
POL
CHAMBER
Task: Annotate the document to anonymise the following person: Zbigniew Majchrzak