PROCEDURE

The case originated in an application (no. 37770/97) 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, Andrzej Krzewicki (“the applicant”), on 19 July 1997.

The Polish Government (“the Government”) were represented by their Agent, Mr K. Drzewicki and subsequently Mr. Jakub Wołąsiewicz 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.

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).

By a decision of 12 November 2002 the Court declared the application admissible.

THE FACTS

I. THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE CASE

The applicant was born in 1952 and lives in Łódź, Poland.

On 31 July 1992 the applicant sued the “Bolesławów” Agriculture Co-operative (Rolnicza Spółdzielnia Przetwórstwa Owoców i Warzyw “Bolesławów”) in the Łódź Regional Court (Sąd Wojewódzki), seeking repayment of his indexed membership shares (udziały członkowskie).

On 29 April 1993 the applicant asked the court to list a hearing. On 21 September 1993 the court held the first hearing and requested the applicant to submit certain documents. On 25 September 1993 the applicant submitted to the court his pleadings together with the relevant documents.

On 17 May 1994 the court held the second hearing. It ordered an accountant of the co-operative to provide information about the management of the co-operative's assets. The documents were submitted to the court on 1 October 1994.

The third hearing was held on 23 March 1995. On 4 May 1995 the applicant requested that the court issue an interim order (zarządzenie tymczasowe) and restrain the co-operative from selling or encumbering its property in order to safeguard his claim. On 5 July 1995 the court refused to issue the interim order. The applicant appealed against this decision. On 7 September 1995 the Łódź Court of Appeal (Sąd Apelacyjny) upheld the first‑instance decision.

On 16 November 1995 the Regional Court held the fourth hearing. The accountant of the co-operative summoned as a witness failed to appear due to illness.

The next hearing, listed for 16 April 1996, was adjourned on the ground that the presiding judge was ill.

On 20 April 1996 the applicant complained, invoking Article 6 of the Convention, about the length of the proceedings to the President of the Łódź Regional Court. On 30 April 1996 the President of the Regional Court instructed the President of the Civil Division of the Regional Court to list a hearing in the case. On 24 May 1996 the President of the Court of Appeal, informed the applicant that he would supervise the proceedings.

On 18 June 1996 the court held the fifth hearing. The accountant summoned as a witness again failed to appear. The court adjourned the hearing until 22 October 1996. In addition the court ordered the defendant to submit certain documentary evidence.

On 24 June 1996 the applicant complained for the second time to the President of the Regional Court about the delay in the proceedings. He also sent a letter to the President of the Court of Appeal. In reply, the President of the Court of Appeal informed the applicant that it was not possible to schedule a hearing before 22 October 1996.

In the meantime the case was assigned to a new judge. On 24 September 1996 the court held a hearing. The hearing scheduled for 22 October 1996 was adjourned due to the presiding judge's illness.

On 28 February 1997 the court held the last (seventh) hearing. According to the applicant's submissions, the court invited him to settle the case. On the same date the parties reached a friendly settlement and the court discontinued the proceedings. The applicant did not appeal against that decision.