PROCEDURE

The case originated in an application (no. 11184/03) 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, Mrs Ewa Krempa-Czuchryta (“the applicant”), on 10 September 2001.

The applicant was not legally represented. The Polish Government (“the Government”) were represented by their Agent, Mr J. Wołąsiewicz of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

On 26 June 2006 the President of the Fourth Section decided to communicate the complaint concerning the length of the proceedings to the Government. Applying Article 29 § 3 of the Convention, it was decided to rule on the admissibility and merits of the application at the same time.

THE FACTS

I. THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE CASE

The applicant was born in 1968 and lives in Lublin.

A. Facts prior to 1 May 1993

On 2 May 1990 the applicant asked the Rzeszów District Court to declare that she had been the beneficiary of an inheritance from a certain M.K. on the basis of a will made before a notary on 24 February 1975.

On 27 September 1990 the other party to the proceedings, a certain W.B., lodged her own inheritance claim and asked the same court to declare that she had received an inheritance from her sister – M.K. – on the basis of the above-mentioned will made before a notary on 21 November 1988.

On 12 November 1990 a hearing was held. The applicant asked for the annulment of a will made on 21 November 1988 in favour W.B.

On 15 March 1991 a psychiatric opinion (opinia sądowo‑psychiatryczna) concerning the testator's state of health between 1975 and 1988 was obtained.

At hearings scheduled between 1 October 1992 and 1 February 1993 evidence was heard from over 20 witnesses.

B. Facts after 30 April 1993

On 29 October 1994 the court obtained a second psychiatric opinion prepared by an expert from the Lublin Medical Academy (Akademia Medyczna).

On 10 February 1995 the Rzeszów District Court asked the Poznań Medical Academy for an expert report to be prepared by the Institute of Psychiatry – the so-called “institute opinion” (opinia instytucjonalna).

On 20 April 1995 the Poznań Medical Academy informed the Rzeszów District Court about the state of preparation of the report.

On 10 July 1995 the Poznań Medical Academy informed the Rzeszów District Court that, due to the holiday season, it was not possible to prepare the above-mentioned “institute opinion”. It asked the Rzeszów District Court whether it would accept an expert opinion given by two experts in psychiatry.

On 21 July 1995 the President of the Rzeszów District Court agreed.

The opinion was submitted on 8 May 1996.

The fourth expert's report in the case was submitted on 24 September 1997.

At a hearing held on 23 December 1997 the Rzeszów District Court gave a decision. It was served on the applicant's lawyer on 27 January 1998.

On 24 February 1998 the applicant appealed.

The appeal was dismissed by the Rzeszów Regional Court on 12 May 1998. The decision was served on the applicant on 15 June 1998.

On 14 July 1998 the applicant's lawyer lodged a cassation appeal. It was referred to the Supreme Court on 29 October 1998.

On 13 March 2001 the Supreme Court refused to entertain the cassation appeal as no important legal issue arose in the case.