The High Court, in May 2020, refused the application of Gemma O’Doherty and John Waters to challenge the constitutionality of measures taken by Ireland to contain the spread of the coronavirus in Ireland. Why did they fail at the first hurdle? What did they need to show? Was there bias? Let’s take a look and … Read more
Judicial review is a collection of remedies of the High Court and Supreme Court which gives these Courts the power to declare that legislative and executive actions are null and void if they are contrary to the Constitution. However the boundaries of judicial review have been expanded by judges in Ireland to cover 2 situations: … Read more
If you are convicted of a criminal offence in the District Court you have a right to appeal the decision from the District Court to the Circuit Court which is a general right to appeal set down in the Courts of Justice Act, 1928. However you cannot appeal against the conviction alone; you must appeal … Read more
If you find yourself in the District Court as a result of receiving a summons or having been arrested and charged through the charge sheet procedure you will be asked how you plead on your first occasion in Court. If you plead guilty then that is the end of the matter and the Judge (and … Read more