4.  The applicants were born in 1934, 1968 and 1966 respectively and live at the same address in Athens. The first applicant is the father of the other two. 5.  On 26 February 1998 the applicants lodged an action for damages with Lasithi (Crete) First Instance Civil Court against K.K., a contractor to whom they had entrusted the construction of a building on a plot of land the first applicant owned. On 5 March 1999 K.K. filed a counter-action (ανταγωγή). The hearing, which was originally set for 4 November 1998, was adjourned to 21 April 1999 at the request of the defendant. 6.  On 28 March 2000 and 29 June 2001, by two interim decisions, the court ordered preparatory inquiries (decision nos. 62/2000 and 280/2001 respectively). On 28 January 2002, the applicants asked for a new hearing date, which was set for 20 March 2002. 7.  On 15 September 2002 the action and counter-action were granted in part (judgment no. 267/2002). 8.  On 11 and 14 February 2003 respectively, both K.K. and the applicants lodged appeals against the aforementioned decision. The hearing was set for 16 September 2003. 9.  On 20 April 2004 the Crete Court of Appeal quashed the first instance decision and partially allowed the appeal (judgment no. 179/2004). 10.  On 11 June 2004 K.K. lodged an appeal on points of law. 11.  On 1st March 2006 the Court of Cassation partially quashed the appellate decision and remitted the case to a different division of the Court of Appeal (judgment no. 383/2006). On 5 May 2006, the applicants asked for a new hearing date. The hearing was fixed for 27 February 2007. 12.  On 21 January 2008, by an interim decision, the appellate court ordered preparatory inquiries (judgment no. 29/2008). 13.  On 4 March 2008 the applicants asked for a new hearing date. The hearing, originally set for 21 October 2008, took place on 20 October 2009. 14.  On 5 February 2010 the Crete Court of Appeal ordered new preparatory inquiries (judgment no. 32/2010). 15.  On 18 February 2010 K.K. asked for a new hearing date. 16.  On 21 September 2010 a hearing took place before the Crete Court of Appeal and the decision was reserved. 17.  On 7 February 2011 the appellate court quashed judgment no. 267/2002 of the Lasithi (Crete) First Instance Civil Court and partially allowed the appeal (judgment no. 58/2011). The applicant was served with the judgment on 2 March 2011. This became final on 3 April 2011.