On 5 December 2013, the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg delivered its judgment relating to the just satisfaction to be awarded to the applicant in case No 56759/08. The applicant in that case was represented by Christianos and Partners Law Firm.
With regard to the facts of the case, in 2009 the Greek courts held that an adoption in the United States by a person who was a monk, was contrary to public policy and refused to recognise it. By a judgment of May 2011, the ECHR found that such a refusal amounted to a violation of Article 8 of the Convention (right to respect for private and family life), taken alone and together with Article 14 (prohibition of discrimination), of Article 6 § 1 (right to a fair hearing), and of Article 1 of Protocol No. 1 (protection of property). As the question of the application of Article 41 of the Convention (regarding just satisfaction) was not ready for decision, the Court invited the Government and the applicant to submit their observations on that issue and reserved it for a later date.
Under Article 41 of the Convention the applicant claimed, primarily, re-examination of the Greek courts’ decisions or, in the alternative, reopening of the proceedings before them, and several sums in respect of the pecuniary damage resulting from the loss of his inheritance rights, the non-pecuniary damage sustained and the costs and expenses incurred.
By its judgment of 5 December 2013, concerning the question of just satisfaction, the ECHR ruled that the applicant should be awarded specific sums as compensation for the pecuniary damage and non-pecuniary damage he suffered, as well as for the costs and expenses incurred.