News

The Central Statistics Office (CSO) has warned that figures showing a 36 per cent increase in the number of sexual offences recorded in Ireland over the period 2009-13 may be misleading. New crime statistics published by the CSO show that a total of 2,010 sexual offences were recorded in 2013, a dro

A senior lecturer at Maynooth University has written about redress for human rights breaches in Ireland in a chapter of a new book analysing the law in eighteen jurisdictions. Dr Noelle Higgins, who lectures in international criminal law, public international law, and The Rights of Minorities and In

NIHRC Chief Commissioner Les Allamby The High Court in Belfast has ruled that preventing access to abortion in cases of fatal foetal abnormalities (FFA) and pregnancies as a consequence of sexual crimes is unlawful.

A man has lost his appeal to the Supreme Court against an order for his surrender to the United Kingdom authorities under the European Arrest Warrant procedure. Jason Buckley’s surrender is sought for the purpose of prosecution for a single offence of conspiracy to cause explosions.

The Government of Ireland is likely to agree to the appointment of four further judges to the Court of Appeal in a bid to ease its heavy workload, the Irish Independent reports. The court, which began hearing cases just over a year ago, receives an average of 60 new civil appeals every month on top

Pictured (l-r): Ian Huddleston, Arleen Elliott, John Guerin and Alan Hunter in Law Society House, Belfast John Guerin has become the president of the Law Society of Northern Ireland, launching his presidency with a pledge to keep the Society at the forefront of justice issues in Northern Ireland.

The High Court in London has reserved its judgment on whether seven former soldiers can be arrested and brought to Northern Ireland to be interviewed in connection with the Bloody Sunday killings. Lord Chief Justice Lord Thomas told the court that its decision would be given as soon as possible, and

Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald Legislation that would bring Irish bankruptcy law in line with Northern Ireland will be presented to the Cabinet next week, the Irish Examiner reports.

The family of a man who was murdered near Dundalk in 1976 are to issue civil proceedings against the PSNI, the Ministry of Defence and the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland. Seamus Ludlow, 47, was killed in “disputed circumstances” and his murder remains unsolved, according to lawyers repr

A civil servant who suggested Irish judges don't treat burglary as a serious offence was not pressured to make a subsequent apology, the Department of Justice has said. Jimmy Martin, a member of the department's management board, wrote to the President of the District Court, Judge Rosemary Horgan, t

Three men are set to appear at a special sitting of Sligo District Court tonight after allegedly taking part in a fight that broke out in the courthouse foyer yesterday. Tony Murrin, John Dennedy and Dylan Clarke were arrested by gardaí in Sligo Court House and subsequently charged with threatening

Lord Neuberger Lord Neuberger delivered a speech on science and law at the Royal Society in London in which he discussed the different ways in which lawyers and scientists reason as well as the use of science in the courtroom.

The High Court has refused to grant a declaration sought by an applicant who had challenged s.27C(4) of the Firearms Act 1964 as unconstitutional, due to its precluding his temporary release from prison in order to pursue a course of study. The applicant, Keith Doyle, was sentenced in June 2013 to f

Chief Inspector Brendan McGuigan Greater collaboration between the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) and the Public Prosecution Service (PPS) is necessary to address “significant failings” in the preparation of case files, Northern Ireland's Chief Inspector of Criminal Justice has said.

The UK Supreme Court has said the UK government does not need to hold an inquiry into a possible 1948 war crime in a ruling that has an "important impact" on investigations related to the Troubles. The Supreme Court ruled that an inquiry into the killing of 24 Maylaan villagers by a British army pat