4.  On 29 November 1996 the applicant filed for divorce from his wife and for custody of their children before the Košice I District Court. 5.  On 29 April 1998 the Košice I District Court requested the applicant to submit a certificate about his and his wife’s residence. The applicant complied with the request on 15 May 1998. On 9 November 1998 the applicant’s wife asked the court to proceed with the case as the situation in their family affected the children born out of the wedlock. 6.  On 25 November 1999 the Košice I District Court transferred the case to the Košice II District Court for reasons of jurisdiction. On 14 February 2000 the Košice Regional Court found that the case fell within the jurisdiction of the Košice I District Court. 7.  On 5 September 2000 the Košice I District Court appointed a guardian to the applicant’s children in the context of the divorce proceedings. On 26 September 2000 both the applicant and his wife stated their position on the subject-matter of the case in reply to the court’s request. On 4 October 2000 the District Court asked the applicant’s employer to submit information about the applicant’s income. 8.  On 2 November 2000 the Košice I District Court heard the parties and delivered a judgment by which it granted a divorce to the applicant and his wife. The court further granted the custody of the children to the mother, decided on the maintenance and on the applicant’s right to have contact with the children. The judgment became final on 31 January 2001.