Information Note on the Court’s case-law 16

March 2000

Guichon v. France - 40491/98

Judgment 21.3.2000 [Section III]

Article 6

Civil proceedings

Article 6-1

Reasonable time

Length of proceedings in the labour courts: violation

The case concerns the length of proceedings brought by the applicant in September 1992 in respect of an employment dispute. The proceedings ended in December 1997 when the Court of Cassa tion rejected the applicant's appeal. They therefore lasted 5 years, 3 months and 13 days.

Law : The Court did not see any significant period of inactivity attributable to the national authorities. Having regard to the global length of the proceedings, it c onsidered that the authorities had shown the necessary diligence.

Conclusion : no violation (4 votes to 3).

© Council of Europe/European Court of Human Rights This summary by the Registry does not bind the Court.

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