4.  The applicant was born in 1946 and lives in Batalha (Portugal). 5.  On 15 March 2006 the applicant lodged an action with the Court of Porto de Mós (domestic proceedings no. 607/06.2TBPMS) seeking the recognition of an easement (servidão de passagem). 6.  On 24 May 2006 and on 27 June 2007 the applicant rectified the initial application upon request of the Court of Porto de Mós. 7.  Between 28 April and 2 May 2006 the defendants lodged their submissions in reply (contestação) and informed the Court of Porto de Mós that one of the defendants had died. 8.  On 9 January 2008 the Court stayed the proceedings, pending the outcome of the inheritance proceedings in relation to the deceased defendant. 9.  On 28 January 2008 the applicant applied to the Court for leave to continue the proceedings against the widow of the deceased defendant (incidente de habilitação de herdeiros). 10.  On 30 July 2008 the applicant requested that the proceedings also continued against M. as heir of the deceased. 11.  On 18 November 2008 the applicant’s lawyer resigned. A new one was appointed on 10 March 2009. 12.  On 20 March 2010 the Court of Porto de Mós requested the applicant to provide information with regard to the relationship between M. and the deceased defendant. 13.  On 15 July 2010 the Court of Porto de Mós delivered a decision concerning the proceedings of inheritance, stating that the deceased defendant’s widow and M. should replace him in the proceedings. 14.  On 8 November 2011 the Court of Porto de Mós, taking into account its decision of 15 July 2010, resumed the main proceedings. 15.  On 23 October 2012 the applicant’s representative resigned. The applicant appointed a new one on 19 December 2012. 16.  On 7 February 2013 the judge gave directions (despacho saneador) setting out the matters that had already been established and those that remained outstanding. The case was set down for hearing on 7 June 2013. Two more hearings were scheduled for 12 July and 13 September 2013. 17.  On 29 November 2013 the court of first instance partially found in favour of the applicant. 18.  On 28 January 2014 the applicant appealed against that decision to the Coimbra Court of Appeal (Tribunal da Relação). 19.  The proceedings are still pending at second instance.