4.  The applicants were born in 1962, 1966, 1956 and 1954 respectively and live in Pécs. 5.  On 22 September 1993 Mr and Mrs Glöckler brought an action against Mrs and Mr Zoltán Weich and the latter’s brother, Mr László Weich. In the context of a real estate dispute, the plaintiffs sought the invalidation of a donation contract executed between the respondents. 6.  On 7 December 1993 Mr László Weich died. The proceedings were subsequently interrupted. The deceased respondent’s successor, Mr Zoltán Weich, was only identified by the parties in a submission made to the court on 8 September 1995. 7.  After three hearings, on 13 May 1996 the Pécs District Court found for the plaintiffs. 8.  On 5 March 1997 the Baranya County Regional Court quashed this decision and remitted the case to the first-instance court. 9.  In the resumed proceedings, on 14 April 1999 the District Court again found for the plaintiffs, after having held several hearings and obtained the opinion of an expert. 10.  On appeal, on 21 September 1999 the Regional Court reversed the first-instance decision and dismissed the plaintiffs’ action. 11.  On 27 March 2001 the Supreme Court quashed this decision and remitted the case to the second-instance court. 12.  In the resumed second-instance proceedings, on 11 September 2001 the Regional Court upheld the decision of 14 April 1999. This decision was upheld by the Supreme Court’s review bench on 13 January 2004.