e) If there are no family members in any of the categories defined in the preceding subparagraphs, the compensation shall be paid to the heirs, in accordance with inheritance laws. E. Costs and Expenses 290. In their pleadings and arguments brief, the representatives indicated a total of US$215,912.99 in costs and expenses incurred since 2000 to assist the victims, to investigate the facts, and for legal representation before the domestic and international courts, among other matters.341 291. In the final written arguments, the International Clinic for the Defense of Human Rights presented additional expenses for the sum of US$88,547.00. 342 Also, the DominicanHaitian Cultural Center submitted its expenses amounting to US$14,102.89, 343 while the Grupo de Ayuda a Refugiados y Repatriados requested the payment of US$ 25,537.14.344 292. The Court reiterates that, according to its case law,345 costs and expenses are part of the concept of reparations, because the activity deployed by the victims in order to obtain justice at both the domestic and the international level entails expenses that must be compensated when the State’s international responsibility is declared in a judgment. 293. Regarding their reimbursement, the Court must prudently assess their scope, which includes the expenses arising before the authorities of the domestic jurisdiction, as well as those incurred during the proceedings before this Court, taking into account the circumstances of the specific case and the nature of the international jurisdiction for the protection of human rights. This assessment may be made based on the principle of equity and taking into account the expenses indicated by the parties, provided their quantum is reasonable. 294. The Court has repeatedly indicated that “the claims of the victims or their representatives with regard to costs and expenses, and the evidence to support them, must be submitted to the Court at the first procedural moment granted to them; that is, with the brief with pleadings, motions and evidence, without prejudice to these claims being subsequently updated, in keeping with the new costs and expenses they have incurred owing to the proceedings before this Court.”346 341 The International Clinic for the Defense of Human Rights presented expenses for legal assistance amounting to US$135,600.00. The Dominican-Haitian Cultural Center requested a total of US$ 35,212.00 for domestic procedural expenses, legal assistance, and extrajudicial investigation expenses. And, the Grupo de Ayuda a Refugiados and Repatriados presented expenses of US$42,062.00 for support to victims, legal assistance and transportation expenses (file of attachments to the pleadings and motions brief, tome IV, folios 2590 to 2626). 342 These expenses correspond to US$74,570.00 for legal assistance; US$11,880.00 for students assistance, US$771 for hearing expenses and US$1,326.00 for office expenses (file of attachments to the representatives’ final written arguments, tome IX, folios 4893 to 5080). 343 The expenses that, in fact, correspond to expenditure subsequent to the public hearing amount to approximately US$420.00, corresponding to transport, accommodation and office expenses (file of attachments to the representatives’ final written arguments, tome IX, folios 5087 to 5166). 344 The corresponding amounts are US$16,247.00 for legal assistance, US$846.70 for documentation expenses, US$8,443.00 for accommodation, transport and meals (file of attachments to the representatives’ final written arguments, tome IX, folios 5168 to 5170). 345 Cf. Case of Garrido and Baigorria v. Argentina. Reparations and costs. Judgment of August 27, 1998. Series C No. 39, para. 79, and Case of the Rio Negro Massacres v. Guatemala, supra, para. 314. 346 Cf. Case of Chaparro Álvarez and Lapo Íñiguez v. Ecuador, supra, para. 275, and Case of Vélez Restrepo and family members v. Colombia, supra, para. 307. 75