the German Association of Judges on November 14, 2013, 16 and Human Rights in Practice on November 28, 2013. 17 15. Final written arguments and observations. On December 15, 2013, the parties and the Commission presented their final written arguments and observations, respectively. 18 The parties presented some of the information, explanations and helpful evidence requested by the judges of this Court with their final written arguments (supra para. 11), as well as certain documentation. On January 24, 2014, the Secretariat of the Court, on the instructions of the acting President, requested the parties and the Commission to present any observations they deemed pertinent on the said documentation, and the representatives and the Commission to present any observations it deemed pertinent on the arguments of the State concerning supposed “new facts presented by the victims’ representatives in the motions and arguments brief,” as well as on the State’s partial acknowledgement of responsibility and the consequences of this acknowledgement on the State’s other defense arguments included in its final written arguments. After an extension of the time frame had been granted, the parties and the Commission presented these observations on February 10, 2014. 16. Helpful evidence and information. On May 8, June 10 and November 3, 2014, the acting President of the Court for this case asked the State and the representatives to submit specific helpful information, explanations and documentation, all of which was presented on June 6, 24, 25 and 26 and November 5, 2014. 17. Observations on the helpful information and evidence, and on the supervening evidence concerning expenses. On June 24 and 25, July 3 and 4, and November 7, 2014, the State and the representatives presented their observations on the helpful information, explanations and documentation that had been submitted. 18. Deliberation of this case. The Court commenced deliberation of this Judgment on November 10, 2014. III COMPETENCE 19. The Court is competent to hearing this case, under Article 62(3) of the Convention, because Colombia has been a State Party to the American Convention since July 31, 1973, and accepted the contentious jurisdiction of the Court on June 21, 1985. IV PARTIAL ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF INTERNATIONAL RESPONSIBILITY A. Declarations by the State 20. During the public hearing held on November 12, 2013, the State offered public apologies to the presumed victims and their families for the facts of this case as follows: The events of the Palace of Justice have no precedent in our recent history. It was a ruthless act perpetrated by violent individuals. This incident resulted in many other traumatic events and, as the President of the Republic indicated […] in a recent address rendering homage to the victims: ‘the wounds have not healed; the anguish for the fallen and the uncertainty about those who disappeared continues in the hearts of the members of their families.’ Hence, this is a time to honor them; it is a time to honor the family members of those regarding whom there is still no exact information on their whereabouts, and those here present as victims. The Colombian State deeply regrets their pain, their 16 The brief was signed by Sigrid Hegmann, President of the organization. 17 The brief was signed by Helen Duffy. 18 In addition, on December 17, 2013, the Commission forwarded a list of corrections to the said brief with observations. 9