PROCEDURE

The case originated in an application (no. 57672/00) 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 two Polish nationals, Mrs Maria Korbel (“the first applicant”) and Mr Andrzej Korbel (“the second applicant”), on 7 July 1999.

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

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

On 26 November 2002 the Court decided to communicate the application to the Government. Under the provisions of Article 29 § 3 of the Convention, it decided to examine the merits of the application at the same time as its admissibility.

THE FACTS

The applicants were born in 1954 and 1956 respectively and live in Bełchatów, Poland.

The applicants bought a second-hand car on 19 July 1992.

Their car was seized by the German Border Guard on 13 April 1993, as it appeared that it had been stolen.

On 15 April 1993, at the second applicants' request, the Radom District Police instituted criminal proceedings against R.G., a car dealer from whom the applicants had bought the car.

On 14 July 1993 the second applicant informed the Radom District Prosecutor (Prokurator Rejonowy) that he wished to join the proceedings as a civil party and asked the prosecution to forward his civil claim to the court together with the bill of indictment.

The Radom District Court (Sąd Rejonowy) convicted the accused on 19 August 1993.

The Radom District Prosecutor forwarded the applicant's claim to the Radom District Court on 27 August 1993. Since the criminal proceeding had already been terminated, the criminal court could not deal with the claim. Accordingly, it referred the claim to the Civil Division of the Radom District Court on 17 June 1994.

On 15 November 1994 the President of the Radom District Court informed the applicant that his statement of claim and accompanying documentary evidence had been lost. He asked the applicant to provide copies of documents in order to reconstruct the case-file.

On 7 December 1994 the District Court found that it was not competent to deal with the claim and referred the case to the Radom Regional Court (Sąd Wojewódzki).

On 16 January 1995 the second applicant asked the court to exempt them from payment of the court fees. The court partly granted his request on 2 February 1995.

On 27 February 1995, at the applicant's request, the court issued an interim order to secure his claim.

On an unspecified date the second applicant appointed the first applicant as his representative. From then on she took part in the proceedings.

The first hearing before the Regional Court was set down for 17 May 1995.

The court held hearings on 28 June and 13 September 1995. They were adjourned because witnesses, J.N. and J.M., had failed to appear.

At the hearing on 30 October 1995 the court imposed fines on J.N. and J.M.

The court held hearings on 4 December 1995, 27 March and 12 April 1996.

A hearing scheduled for 3 July 1996 was adjourned due to the defendant's absence.

On 21 August 1996 the court held a hearing.

The proceedings were stayed on 27 November 1996 because the criminal proceedings against J.N. and J.M had been instituted in the meantime.

On 21 March 1997 the court, at the applicants' request, called J.N. as a co-defendant.

On 18 September 1997 the court stayed the proceedings for the same reasons as above. They were resumed on 15 October 1998.

A hearing scheduled for 1 December 1998 was adjourned because both parties had failed to appear.

At the hearing on 18 December 1998 the court ordered that an expert report on the value of the disputed car be obtained. The report was submitted to the court on 27 January 1999.

The next hearing took place on 15 February 1999.

On 18 February 1999 the Radom Regional Court allowed the applicants' claim.
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-66652_a6_e1
001-66652_a6_em1
CODE
DIRECT
57672/00
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
correct
001-66652_a6_e2
001-66652_a6_em2
ORG
NO_MASK
Republic of Poland
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-66652_a6_e2
001-66652_a6_em3
DEM
QUASI
Polish
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-66652_a6_e3
001-66652_a6_em4
PERSON
DIRECT
Mrs Maria Korbel
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
insert
001-66652_a6_e4
001-66652_a6_em5
PERSON
DIRECT
Mr Andrzej Korbel
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-66652_a6_e5
001-66652_a6_em6
DATETIME
QUASI
7 July 1999
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
correct
001-66652_a6_e2
001-66652_a6_em7
ORG
NO_MASK
001-66652_a6_em2
Polish
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-66652_a6_e6
001-66652_a6_em8
PERSON
QUASI
Mr K. Drzewicki
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-66652_a6_e7
001-66652_a6_em9
DATETIME
QUASI
26 November 2002
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-66652_a6_e8
001-66652_a6_em10
DATETIME
QUASI
1954
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-66652_a6_e9
001-66652_a6_em11
DATETIME
QUASI
1956
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-66652_a6_e10
001-66652_a6_em12
LOC
QUASI
Bełchatów, Poland
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-66652_a6_e11
001-66652_a6_em13
DATETIME
QUASI
19 July 1992
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-66652_a6_e12
001-66652_a6_em14
ORG
QUASI
German Border Guard
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-66652_a6_e13
001-66652_a6_em15
DATETIME
QUASI
13 April 1993
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-66652_a6_e14
001-66652_a6_em16
DATETIME
QUASI
15 April 1993
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-66652_a6_e15
001-66652_a6_em17
ORG
NO_MASK
Radom District Police
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
insert
001-66652_a6_e16
001-66652_a6_em18
PERSON
QUASI
R.G.
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-66652_a6_e17
001-66652_a6_em19
DATETIME
QUASI
14 July 1993
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-66652_a6_e18
001-66652_a6_em20
ORG
QUASI
Radom District Prosecutor
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
insert
001-66652_a6_e18
001-66652_a6_em21
ORG
QUASI
001-66652_a6_em20
Prokurator Rejonowy
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-66652_a6_e19
001-66652_a6_em22
ORG
QUASI
Radom District Court
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
correct
001-66652_a6_e19
001-66652_a6_em23
ORG
QUASI
001-66652_a6_em22
Sąd Rejonowy
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-66652_a6_e20
001-66652_a6_em24
DATETIME
QUASI
19 August 1993
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-66652_a6_e18
001-66652_a6_em25
ORG
QUASI
Radom District Prosecutor
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-66652_a6_e19
001-66652_a6_em26
ORG
QUASI
Radom District Court
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-66652_a6_e21
001-66652_a6_em27
DATETIME
QUASI
27 August 1993
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-66652_a6_e22
001-66652_a6_em28
ORG
QUASI
Civil Division of the Radom District Court
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-66652_a6_e23
001-66652_a6_em29
DATETIME
QUASI
17 June 1994
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-66652_a6_e24
001-66652_a6_em30
DATETIME
QUASI
15 November 1994
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-66652_a6_e19
001-66652_a6_em31
ORG
QUASI
Radom District Court
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-66652_a6_e25
001-66652_a6_em32
DATETIME
QUASI
7 December 1994
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-66652_a6_e19
001-66652_a6_em33
ORG
NO_MASK
001-66652_a6_em22
District Court
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-66652_a6_e26
001-66652_a6_em34
ORG
QUASI
Radom Regional Court
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
correct
001-66652_a6_e26
001-66652_a6_em35
ORG
QUASI
001-66652_a6_em34
Sąd Wojewódzki
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-66652_a6_e27
001-66652_a6_em36
DATETIME
QUASI
16 January 1995
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-66652_a6_e28
001-66652_a6_em37
DATETIME
QUASI
2 February 1995
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-66652_a6_e29
001-66652_a6_em38
DATETIME
QUASI
27 February 1995
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-66652_a6_e26
001-66652_a6_em39
ORG
NO_MASK
001-66652_a6_em34
Regional Court
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-66652_a6_e30
001-66652_a6_em40
DATETIME
QUASI
17 May 1995
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
insert
001-66652_a6_e31
001-66652_a6_em41
DATETIME
QUASI
28 June and 13 September 1995
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
correct
001-66652_a6_e32
001-66652_a6_em42
PERSON
QUASI
J.N.
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
correct
001-66652_a6_e33
001-66652_a6_em43
PERSON
QUASI
J.M.
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-66652_a6_e34
001-66652_a6_em44
DATETIME
QUASI
30 October 1995
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-66652_a6_e32
001-66652_a6_em45
PERSON
QUASI
J.N.
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
insert
001-66652_a6_e33
001-66652_a6_em46
PERSON
QUASI
001-66652_a6_em43
J.M.
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-66652_a6_e35
001-66652_a6_em47
DATETIME
QUASI
4 December 1995
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
insert
001-66652_a6_e36
001-66652_a6_em48
DATETIME
QUASI
27 March and 12 April 1996
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-66652_a6_e37
001-66652_a6_em49
DATETIME
QUASI
3 July 1996
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-66652_a6_e38
001-66652_a6_em50
DATETIME
QUASI
21 August 1996
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-66652_a6_e39
001-66652_a6_em51
DATETIME
QUASI
27 November 1996
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
insert
001-66652_a6_e32
001-66652_a6_em52
PERSON
QUASI
001-66652_a6_em42
J.N.
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
insert
001-66652_a6_e33
001-66652_a6_em53
PERSON
QUASI
001-66652_a6_em46
J.M
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-66652_a6_e40
001-66652_a6_em54
DATETIME
QUASI
21 March 1997
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
insert
001-66652_a6_e32
001-66652_a6_em55
PERSON
QUASI
001-66652_a6_em42
J.N.
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-66652_a6_e41
001-66652_a6_em56
DATETIME
QUASI
18 September 1997
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-66652_a6_e42
001-66652_a6_em57
DATETIME
QUASI
15 October 1998
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-66652_a6_e43
001-66652_a6_em58
DATETIME
QUASI
1 December 1998
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-66652_a6_e44
001-66652_a6_em59
DATETIME
QUASI
18 December 1998
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-66652_a6_e45
001-66652_a6_em60
DATETIME
QUASI
27 January 1999
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-66652_a6_e46
001-66652_a6_em61
DATETIME
QUASI
15 February 1999
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-66652_a6_e47
001-66652_a6_em62
DATETIME
QUASI
18 February 1999
NOT_CONFIDENTIAL
check
001-66652_a6_e26
001-66652_a6_em63
ORG
QUASI
Radom Regional Court
Maria Korbel
POL
CHAMBER
Task: Annotate the document to anonymise the following person: Maria Korbel