8.  The applicant is a Polish national, who was born in 1940 and lives in Marysin, Poland. 9.  On 14 September 1992 the applicant's former wife (“the petitioner”) filed with the Warsaw District Court (Sąd Rejonowy) an application for the division of their matrimonial property. 10.  On 9 October 1992 the trial court ordered an expert opinion. On 4 December 1992 the opinion was submitted to the court. 11.  The first hearing scheduled for 4 February 1993 was adjourned because of the absence of the applicant. 12.  On 12 February 1993 the court dismissed the applicant's request for exemption from the court fees. 13.  On 18 March 1993 the applicant applied again for the exemption from the court-fees. 14.  Subsequently, the trial court held hearings on 16 March and 22 April 1993. 15.  On 15 May 1993 the applicant requested that the court include in the case file certain documents allegedly stolen by the petitioner. 16.  On 27 July 1993 the Warsaw Regional Court dismissed the applicant's second application of 18 March 1993 for exemption from the court-fees. 17.  On 17 August 1993 the applicant requested the Warsaw District Court to re-open the proceedings concerning the exemption from the court-fees. On 7 September 1993 the Warsaw Regional Court (Sąd Wojewódzki) rejected his request on procedural grounds. 18.  On 8 February 1994 the court held a hearing and heard an expert. 19.  At the hearing held on 15 March 1994 the applicant asked the court to punish a witness who, in his opinion, had given a false testimony. He submits that the application was not examined. On the same day the court ordered a supplementary expert opinion. The applicant objected to this decision. 20.  On 18 July 1994 the expert opinion was submitted to the court. 21.  On 10 December 1994 the applicant lodged an objection against the allegedly unlawful appointment of an expert. 22.  On 21 December 1994 the court held a hearing. On 23 December 1994 the applicant requested the court to admonish the petitioner for insulting him. 23.  On 3 January 1995 the court delivered a partial decision. The applicant lodged an appeal against that decision. Subsequently, he was ordered to pay a fee therefor. He requested an exemption, but his request was on 24 March 1995 dismissed as unsubstantiated. The applicant appealed but on 6 June 1995 the Warsaw Regional Court dismissed his appeal. Since he had failed to pay the fee, on 6 July 1995 the Warsaw District Court rejected the applicant's appeal against the decision of 3 January 1995. The applicant appealed. On 5 January 1996 the Warsaw Regional Court dismissed his appeal. 24.  On 22 March and 10 May 1996 the District Court held hearings. 25.  On 5 July 1996 the court adjourned a hearing because the counsel of the petitioner was ill. 26.  On 8 July 1996 the applicant challenged the presiding judge. On 15 July 1996 his challenge was dismissed. The applicant lodged an appeal against this decision but on 7 November 1996 the Warsaw Regional Court dismissed it. 27.  In the meantime, a hearing scheduled for 8 August 1996 was adjourned. 28.  On 6 January 1997 the applicant requested the court to reopen the proceedings terminated by the partial decision of 3 January 1995. 29.  On 21 May 1997 the court held a hearing. 30.  On 18 November 1997 the court rejected the applicant's request to reopen the proceedings. The applicant lodged an appeal against that decision. On 19 January 1998 the court ordered the applicant to pay a court fee for lodging the appeal. The applicant lodged an appeal against this decision but on 22 April 1998 the Warsaw Regional Court dismissed it. Accordingly, on 27 July 1998 the Warsaw Regional Court rejected the applicant's appeal against the decision of 18 November 1997. 31.  On 26 January, 10 March, 30 March, 29 April, 10 May, 8 June and 14 June 1999 the District Court held hearings. On 14 June 1999 the applicant requested that the hearings be recorded on an audiocassette. 32.  At the hearing held on 23 August 1999 the court appointed four experts and ordered new expert opinions. The applicant lodged an appeal against this decision, but it was rejected on 15 November 1999. The applicant appealed against this decision. On 17 January 2000 the court rejected his appeal as he failed to pay a fee for lodging it. The applicant appealed. On 22 May 2000 the Warsaw District Court ordered the applicant to pay a court fee due for lodging another appeal. On 20 July 2000 the court rejected his appeal as he failed to pay the fee. 33.  One of the applications lodged by the applicant in December 1999 the court considered as a separate action for compensation against the State Treasury. This set of civil proceedings is pending. 34.  On 3 November 2000 the court ordered the applicant to determine the value of one of his appeals. It appears that the applicant complied with this order. Subsequently, he was ordered by the court to pay a fee for the appeal. On 3 December 2000 the applicant appealed against this order, but it was apparently dismissed. 35.  On 9 March 2001 the first expert submitted his opinion to the court. 36.  Subsequently, other experts submitted their opinions to the court. 37.  On 7 December 2001 the applicant requested the court to prepare new expert opinions. 38.  On 11 January 2002 the court held a hearing. 39.  On 18 November 2002 the applicant's former wife, who had initiated the impugned proceedings, died. 40.  In December 2002 the applicant applied to stay the proceedings since the petitioner had died. 41.  At the hearing held on 19 February 2003 the Warsaw District Court allowed his application and stayed the proceedings. 42.  Subsequently, the applicant applied to discontinue the proceedings and lodged an appeal against the decision to stay the proceedings. 43.  On 7 April 2003 the Warsaw District Court rejected his appeal against the decision of 19 February 2003. 44.  The proceedings remain stayed.