4.  The applicant was born in 1956 and lives in Arkhangelsk. 5.  In 1994 the applicant paid 10,000,000 Russian roubles (RUB) to a cooperative society whose main activity was the construction of garages (гаражно-строительный кооператив) in order to be provided with a garage as one of its members. Since she was not provided with one, on 30 January 1995 the applicant sued the society by lodging a claim with the Lomonosovskiy District Court of Arkhangelsk. The applicant sought to be reinstated as a member of the society and to have her property rights in respect of the garage recognised. 6.  The hearing was adjourned on six occasions: twice due to the need to collect evidence; twice due to the respondent’s failure to appear, once due to the necessity to summon witnesses and once without any specified reason. 7.  On 28 March 1996 the Lomonosovskiy District Court of Arkhangelsk dismissed the applicant’s claim. The court found that she had never been accepted as a member of the cooperative society in accordance with the established procedure and, therefore, had not acquired the right to be provided with a garage. On 22 July 1996 the judgment was quashed on appeal and the case was remitted for fresh consideration. 8.  The hearing was postponed five times: twice due to the need to collect evidence; twice due to the respondent’s failure to appear and once due to the necessity to summon witnesses. The Government claimed that on one occasion, on 24 December 1997, the applicant failed to appear for the hearing. The applicant contested this statement, claiming that she had been present together with her lawyer. 9.  On 31 March 1998 the Lomonosovskiy District Court of Arkhangelsk granted the part of the applicant’s claim relating to her reinstatement as a member of the cooperative society and dismissed the parts relating to property rights over a garage and non-pecuniary damages. On 8 June 1998 the judgment was quashed on appeal by the Arkhangelsk Regional Court and the case was remitted for fresh examination. 10.  On 23 February 1999 the applicant filed an additional claim against the society, requesting the court to declare the decision of its members concerning the annulment of her membership void and to acknowledge her title to the garage. 11.  The hearing was postponed three times due to the respondent’s failure to appear. 12.  On 16 February 2000 the Lomonosovskiy District Court of Arkhangelsk granted the part of the applicant’s claim relating to her reinstatement as a member of the cooperative society and awarded the applicant RUB 5,000 in non-pecuniary damages and RUB 2,000 for costs. The court dismissed the remainder of the claim. 13.  On 17 April 2000 the judgment was quashed on appeal by the Arkhangelsk Regional Court due to the wrong assessment of evidence and the case was remitted for fresh examination. 14.  The hearing was postponed nine times: six times due to the respondent’s failure to appear, twice due to the need to collect additional evidence and once due to the expiration of terms of office of the presiding judge. The Government claimed that on one occasion, on 1 September 2000, the applicant failed to appear for the hearing. The applicant contested this statement, claiming that she had been present together with her lawyer. 15.  From 13 December 2000 to 9 January 2001 the proceedings were suspended due to the appointment of an examination relating to the value of the garage. 16.  On 15 February 2002 the Lomonosovskiy District Court of Arkhangelsk granted the applicant’s claim and acknowledged her title to the garage. 17.  On 9 April 2003 the judgment was quashed by way of supervisory review by the Presidium of the Arkhangelsk Regional Court due to procedural violations and the case was remitted for fresh examination. 18.  On 20 May 2003 the applicant lodged another claim against the society. She requested the acknowledgement of her title to the garage and the invalidation of a sales contract which had been concluded between a third person and the society in respect of this garage. 19.  On 27 May 2003 the two cases were joined and a hearing was listed for 26 June 2003. 20.  On 26 June 2003 the hearing was adjourned due to the illness of the judge and on the same day the claim to be reinstated as a member of the cooperative society was severed so as to constitute separate proceedings. The proceedings concerning the applicant’s title to the garage and the invalidation of the sales contract with a third person were suspended until the examination of the claim as regards her membership of the society. 21.  On 11 December 2003 the Lomonosovskiy District Court of Arkhangelsk dismissed the applicant’s claim to be reinstated as a member of the cooperative society. On 26 January 2004 the Arkhangelsk Regional Court upheld the judgment and it became final. 22.  On 15 April 2004 the proceedings concerning the title to the garage were resumed. 23.  On 16 April 2004 the Lomonosovskiy District Court of Arkhangelsk dismissed the applicant’s claim. The judgment was not appealed against and became final on 6 May 2004.