7 30. After having been granted an extension, on March 24, 2003 Costa Rica designated Mr. Marco Antonio Mata Coto as Judge ad hoc and provided a copy of his curriculum. 31. On March 24, 2003, the State presented a note wherein it advised the Court that it had designated Mr. Farid Beirute Brenes, Attorney General of the Republic, as agent in the case, and Criminal Prosecutor José Enrique Castro Marín as alternate agent. 32. On March 31, 2003, after having been granted a two-week extension, the representatives of the alleged victims filed the brief containing their pleadings, motions and evidence. In that brief, they requested that the Court take urgent action to exercise its precautionary authority. 33. After having been granted an extension, Costa Rica filed a brief and annexes on May 20, 2003. In its brief, it raised preliminary objections, answered the application and sent its observations to the brief of pleadings, motions and evidence filed by the alleged victims’ representatives. 34. On May 27 and 28, 2003, the Secretariat sent a copy of the brief to the representatives and to the Commission, respectively, so that pursuant to Article 36(4) of the then Rules of Court they might, within thirty days, present their written briefs responding to the preliminary objections raised by the State. 35. Having been given one extension, on July 23, 2003 the Commission filed its written pleadings on the preliminary objections raised by the State, but the brief received was not complete. On July 24, 2003, the Commission presented the full brief. 36. Having been given an extension, the alleged victims’ representatives filed their written brief on the preliminary objections on July 23, 2003. 37. On February 18, 2004 the President of the Court summoned the Commission, the State and the alleged victims’ representatives to a public hearing at the seat of the Inter-American Court, starting April 30, 2004, at 9:00 a.m. The hearing was held to hear the witnesses, expert witnesses, and final oral arguments on the preliminary objections and on possible merits, reparations and costs. In that summons, the President set May 31, 2004, as the deadline for the parties to present their final written pleadings on the preliminary objections and possible merits, reparations and costs. The President also requested that Mrs. Laura Mariela González Picado’s testimony and Mr. Julio Maier’s expert testimony be given through affidavits sworn in the presence of a public civil servant. Those affidavits were to be sent to the Court by no later than March 11, 2004. 38. On February 19, 2004, the Committee to Protect Journalists, the Hearst Corporation, the Miami Herald Publishing Company, El Nuevo Día, La Prensa, the Reform Group, Reuters Ltd., El Tiempo and the Tribune Company filed an amicus curiae brief. 39. On February 23, 2004, the Asociación para la Defensa del Periodismo Independiente (PERIODISTAS) filed an amicus curiae brief.