9.  In October 1984 the applicant’s father (“the plaintiff”) brought an action against an upholstery workshop. He claimed some outstanding royalty fees on account of the workshop’s manufacture and sale of a series of foldable beds based on his invention. 10.  In September 1986 the Buda Central District Court informed the plaintiff that the upholstery workshop as such had no capacity to conduct legal proceedings and that its members were personally required to enter the proceedings as defendants. 11.  On 28 April 1987 the District Court, for reasons of competence, discontinued the proceedings and transferred the case to the Budapest Regional Court. On 4 February 1988 the Regional Court held that it had no competence in the case either, and requested the Supreme Court to designate the competent court. 12.  On 5 May 1988 the Supreme Court designated the Buda Central District Court to hear the case. On 10 November 1988, 16 February, 26 April, 21 June and 20 October 1989, 20 March and 29 June 1990, the District Court held hearings. Meanwhile, on 13 February 1989 and 15 June 1990 the plaintiff extended his claims. 13.  In its judgment of 6 July 1990 the District Court awarded the plaintiff 714,070 Hungarian forints (HUF), plus accrued interest. 14.  On appeal, on 22 May 1991 the Budapest Regional Court held a hearing, quashed the first-instance judgment and instructed its own competent bench to re-hear the case. It pointed out that, due to the plaintiff’s repeated extensions of his claims, the case was no longer within the District Court’s competence. 15.  On 20 December 1991, 17 June, 15 July and 4 November 1992 the Regional Court held hearings. On the latter date it ordered the plaintiff to elaborate his claims within thirty days. 16.  On 7 December 1992 the plaintiff again extended his action and, on 27 January 1993, he filed a memorandum with the Regional Court submitting the precise figures of his claims. 17.  On 17 February and 28 April 1993 the Regional Court held hearings. The hearings scheduled for 1 September and 10 December 1993 and 9 March 1994 were adjourned. 18.  On 4 May 1994 the Regional Court decided to obtain a technical expert opinion. On 28 September 1994 it put concrete questions to an expert institution, which on 27 October 1994 renounced the request. On 7 November 1994 another expert was appointed who presented his opinion on 19 December 1994. 19.  On 1 March 1995 the Regional Court held a hearing. On this occasion the plaintiff again modified his claims. A hearing scheduled for 17 May 1995 was adjourned. On 16 June 1995 the plaintiff further extended his claims. 20.  On 27 September 1995, 26 January and 3 July 1996 the Regional Court held further hearings. On the latter date the plaintiff was granted a 15-day time-limit to elaborate further the quantification of claims. His memorandum on that subject was returned for supplementation on 1 August 1996. The revised memorandum reached the Regional Court on 9 September 1996. 21.  On 20 November 1996 the Regional Court held a further hearing and appointed an expert accountant. On 24 January 1997 the Regional Court ordered the plaintiff to advance payment for the expert. 22.  On 6 June 1997 the Regional Court declared that the proceedings were interrupted on account of the death of one of the defendants. On 12 December 1997 the proceedings were resumed and a hearing was held. 23.  On 13 February 1998 the Regional Court discontinued, on account of the plaintiff’s partial waiver, the proceedings in respect of some of the defendants. 24.  On 25 February 1998 the Regional Court gave a partial judgment and awarded the plaintiff HUF 858,200 plus accrued interest. On 18 March 1998 the plaintiff appealed to the Supreme Court. 25.  On 27 December 1998 the plaintiff died. On 20 October 1999 the applicant and his late father’s widow entered the domestic proceedings as the plaintiff’s successors. 26.  On 10 November 1999 the Supreme Court held a hearing. 27.  On 22 February 2000 the Supreme Court gave a second instance judgment, partly amending the decision of 25 February 1998.