Nine years after the United States Congress granted the right to civil hearings for anyone accused of violating the Cuba travel ban, no judges have been hired and no hearings have been held.

As of September, 357 cases were pending, some of which date to 1995, said a congressional aide, who provided the figure on condition of anonymity. Piano tuner Ben Treuhaft, for example, has waited for his day in court since being accused in 1996 of illegally traveling to the communist island.

http://www.cnn.com/2001/TRAVEL/NEWS/....ap/index.html