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The Court fo Human Rights
Effects of Judgements
IV. EFFECTS OF JUDGMENTS OR CASES 1959 - 1998

A. Just Satisfaction

When the Court finds that there has been a violation of the Convention, and if the domestic law of the State concerned allows only
partial reparation to be made, it may award the victim just satisfaction (Article 50 of the Convention). This generally involves the
reimbursement of costs and expenses, and when appropriate, compensation for pecuniary and/or non-pecuniary damage.

In accordance with Article 53 of the Convention, the Contracting States undertake to abide by the decisions of the Court. To date
States which have been ordered to make payments under Article 50 have consistently done so. The Court now (since October 1991)
prescribes, in the operative provisions of the judgment, a period of three months from the date of the decision within which the
applicant must be paid and (since January 1996) provides for interest in the event of failure to comply with this time-limit.

B. Effects of a General Nature

a. Following the finding of a violation

A finding by the Court of a violation of the Convention has often led the respondent State, and sometimes even other Contracting
States, to take general measures to comply with the decision in question and the higher domestic courts to adapt their case-law. In
some cases, the reference of a case to the Court has of itself prompted or expedited amendments to legislation and regulations or
changes in the case-law. Judgments have also resulted in the respondent State adopting concrete measures in relation to the
person or persons concerned. The list which follows provides information regarding the effects of judgments, mainly taken from the
resolutions adopted by the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe in the exercise of its duty to supervise the execution of
judgments (Article 54 of the Convention).