Case Reports

A man whose wife committed suicide the day after she was discharged from hospital for a previous suicide attempt, has been awarded €263,220.81 in the High Court. Finding that the woman had not been afforded an appropriate standard of medical care at University College Hospital Galway, Mr Justic

A man who pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of a man in Coalisland in October 2015, and to Grievous Bodily Harm with intent on another man, has been sentenced to eleven years' imprisonment with an extended licence period of four years. Ms Justice McBride, sitting in Dungannon Crown Court, heard tha

The Supreme Court has called for the Oireachtas to address the increasing problem of access to justice as a result of complex commercial litigation. Emphasising the need for a properly regulated scheme or structure, and concurring with the leading judgment of Justice Donal O’Donnell, Chief Jus

A man who was convicted of murder, primarily on the basis of evidence provided by another man involved in the killing of someone in Limerick in 2002, has lost his appeal in the Supreme Court. The man contended that the witnesses reliability may have been impaired due to a mental illness and argued t

A developer, who is the director or shareholder in a number of companies which brought proceedings against First Active Plc, has had his appeal against a costs order made against him dismissed by the Supreme Court. Finding that the High Court had jurisdiction to make the order pursuant to Order 15,

The High Court has found that a company which bought loans which were originally facilitated by Anglo Irish Bank in the early 2000s, appointed a receiver in February 2016 before it had taken the benefit of security interest in October 2016, by which it was entitled to so appoint. Awarding €20,0

A rural development partnership in Connemara, which was unsuccessful in its bid for a €1.2 million public contract, has had its appeal dismissed in the Court of Appeal. Finding that there was no legal basis to interfere with the High Court judge’s decision to refuse the application for ju

A woman who was hit by a car when she was crossing the street in Dublin in 2011 has been awarded €256,039 in the High Court. Describing the woman, who successfully presented her case as a lay litigant in Court, as a ‘woman of extraordinary intelligence and resilience’; Mr Justice Ba

Two applicants who sought to challenge the result of the abortion referendum have had their applications for leave to present a referendum petition refused in the High Court. Emphasising the size of the majority in favour of the result, Mr Justice Peter Kelly, President of the High Court was satisfi

The Director of Public Prosecutions has been granted an order lifting a stay on historical rape charges, which was imposed by the trial judge until the DPP conducted ‘a proper evaluation’ of evidence from the complainant identified by the judge as being inconsistent. In circumstances whe

An engineering firm and architect involved in the development of an apartment complex in Stepaside, Dublin, have been unsuccessful in their application to dismiss a personal injuries claim which was commenced in 2009. The woman, who bought an apartment in the development in 2005 alleges personal inj

A writer who alleged that his former solicitor was negligent when acting on his behalf in a dispute with Roddy Doyle and the Abbey Theatre, has had his appeal dismissed in the Court of Appeal. Considering the 37 grounds of appeal raised by the appellant, Ms Justice Máire Whelan found that non

An Bord Pleanála have been unsuccessful in appealing an order of certiorari granted by the High Court which quashed its decision to grant planning permission for a wind farm development in County Clare. Finding that the permission granted should be quashed “on much narrower grounds” than those

A man who broke into his neighbour’s home in Sneem, Co Kerry, and violently raped her has lost an appeal against the severity of his sentence. The man was sentenced to 13 years’ imprisonment, which he said was “out of kilter” with other cases involving “one off incidents of sexual offendin

The Supreme Court has, by a 3:2 majority, held that the adoption of two children by their aunt in their birth country may be recognisable in Ireland if “remedial measures” are taken by the Adoption Authority of Ireland and the Central Authority of the children’s birth country. Stating that any