CEDH · CASELAW;CLIN;ENG — 24 août 1993

.s3ABFC313 { font-size:10pt } .sD4B5322E { margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:12pt; text-align:justify } .sBB9EE52A { font-family:Arial } .sA241FE93 { margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:18pt; text-align:justify; page-break-after:avoid; border-bottom:0.75pt solid #000000; padding-bottom:1pt } .s2EF62ED2 { margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:12pt } .s4DDA3AA3 { font-family:Arial; font-weight:bold; font-style:italic } .s29100277 { font-family:Arial; font-weight:bold } .s32563E28 { margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt } .s8F2B0B1B { margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:12pt; page-break-after:avoid; font-size:12pt } .s9FF10068 { margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:12pt } .sEB86A30B { margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:14pt; page-break-after:avoid } .sA36B60A1 { font-family:Arial; font-style:italic } .s5F48796F { margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-align:justify } .s85F2E5C5 { width:30.44pt; display:inline-block } .s6863D229 { width:26pt; display:inline-block } .s90A93616 { width:27.66pt; display:inline-block } .sBDAE81C4 { width:27.67pt; display:inline-block } .s49A78FE0 { width:26.55pt; display:inline-block } .s8B6C6D43 { margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; border-bottom:1pt solid #000000; padding-bottom:1pt } .sDF790F1E { margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-align:center } .s7ED160F0 { text-decoration:none } .s3DC36BA9 { font-family:Arial; text-decoration:underline; color:#0069d6 } Information Note on the Court’s case-law No. August 1993 Massa v. Italy - 14399/88 Judgment 24.8.1993 Article 6 Article 6-1 Civil rights and obligations Reasonable time Length of proceedings in the Court of Audit: violation [This summary is extracted from the Court’s official reports (Series A or Reports of Judgments and Decisions). Its formatting and structure may therefore differ from the Case-Law Information Note summaries.] I.   ARTICLE 6 § 1 OF THE CONVENTION ("REASONABLE TIME") A.   Applicability The State under obligation to pay reversionary pension to husband of public servant in accordance with legislation in force was not using discretionary powers and might be compared to an employer who was a party to a contract of employment governed by private law - disputed right therefore a civil one. Conclusion : Article 6 applicable (unanimously). B.   Compliance 1.   Period to be taken into consideration Starting–point: application to the Court of Audit. End: filing of judgment. Result: more than five years and ten months. 2.   Relevant criteria Reasonableness of length of proceedings - to be determined with reference to the criteria laid down in Court's case–law and in the light of the circumstances of the case, which in this instance called for an overall assessment. Case not particularly complex and applicant had tried to expedite proceedings - delays sufficiently substantial to have made overall length of proceedings excessive. Conclusion : violation (unanimously). II.   ARTICLE 50 OF THE CONVENTION A.   Damage Pecuniary damage: no proof of causal link with the breach that had been found. Non–pecuniary damage: compensation awarded. B.   Costs and expenses in proceedings before Convention institutions: full reimbursement. Conclusion : respondent State to pay specified sums to the applicant (unanimously).   © Council of Europe/European Court of Human Rights This summary by the Registry does not bind the Court. Click here for the Case-Law Information Notes