PROCEDURE

The case originated in an application (no. 2311/04) 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, Ms Małgorzata Kuczkowska (“the applicant”), on 22 December 2003.

The applicant was represented by Ms M. Gąsiorowska, a lawyer practising in Warsaw. The Polish Government (“the Government”) were represented by their Agent, Mr J. Wołąsiewicz of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

On 16 November 2006 the President of the Fourth Section of the Court decided to give notice of the application 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 1951 and lives in Warsaw.

A. Main proceedings

On 3 June 1991 the applicant instituted civil proceedings for dissolution of a co-ownership and division of an inheritance before the Warsaw District Court (Sąd Rejonowy). On 18 November 1992 the case was transmitted to the Pruszków District Court.

Between 24 February 1993 and 28 May 2003 the court held 18 hearings.

On 7 June 2004 the Pruszków District Court gave a partial decision in the case. The court held that, following further proceedings, a final decision concerning the distribution of the estate would be given at a later stage. The applicant appealed.

On 9 June 2005 the Warsaw Regional Court, having examined the partial decision, remitted the case to the District Court.

According to the applicant’s submissions, from June 2005 until March 2006 no hearing was listed in her case.

On 22 August 2007 the Pruszków District Court gave a decision and divided the inheritance. It is unclear whether the applicant appealed against that decision.

B. Proceedings under the 2004 Act

On an unspecified date the applicant lodged a complaint with the Warsaw Regional Court (Sąd Okręgowy), under section 5 of the Law of 17 June 2004 on complaints about a breach of the right to a trial within a reasonable time (Ustawa o skardze na naruszenie prawa strony do rozpoznania sprawy w postępowaniu sądowym bez nieuzasadnionej zwłoki) (“the 2004 Act”).

On 8 March 2005 the Warsaw Regional Court rejected her complaint for a procedural mistake.

On 11 April 2005 the applicant again lodged a complaint with the Warsaw Regional Court under section 5 of the 2004 Act. She sought a ruling declaring that the length of the proceedings before the Pruszków District Court had been excessive and that just satisfaction in the amount of 10,000 Polish zlotys (PLN - approx. EUR 2,500) should be awarded to her.

On 9 June 2005 the Warsaw Regional Court gave a decision in which it acknowledged the excessive length of the proceedings, finding that there had been some periods of unjustified inactivity (lasting from several months to some two years) on the part of the Pruszków District Court and awarded the applicant PLN 3,000 (approx. EUR 738) in just satisfaction. Referring to the amount of just satisfaction, the court relied on the fact that the applicant and other parties to the proceedings had contributed to their length and that after 2003 the proceedings had been considerably accelerated.