Coronavirus

A criminal defence lawyer has acted remotely for a client in a police interview in a Northern Ireland first. A digital mechanism was put in place after Ciarán Kerr-Johnston, solicitor at Belfast-based Brentnall Legal Ltd, issued pre-action proceedings against the PSNI on behalf of a client wh

A judge has criticised a policy of putting all new prisoners, including those on remand, in isolation for 14 days. Seven prisoners were unable to appear at Cork District Court via video link yesterday because there are no video facilities in isolation, the Irish Examiner reports.

Prisoner numbers in Ireland should be brought down faster through measures including presumption of bail, increased use of non-custodial sanctions and early releases in order to protect prisoners' rights, the Irish Penal Reform Trust (IPRT) has said. The penal reform group made the remarks in respon

The temporary wage subsidy scheme introduced three weeks ago has been updated to address "anomalies". The changes announced yesterday apply to workers earning less than €500 per week (equivalent to €31,000) as well as those earning in excess of €586 per week (equivalent to €38,00

A 24-year-old man in Co Wexford has become the first person charged with offences under the new coronavirus emergency law. Denis Constantin appeared in Gorey District Court yesterday on two charges of contravening a provision of a regulation made under the Health (Preservation and Protection and oth

Ireland should follow the UK in relaxing insolvency laws during the coronavirus pandemic to give companies "the best chance of survival", lawyers have said. John Given, corporate partner at Dublin-based Philip Lee, said businesses should not be penalised for continuing to trade while insolvent "in t

Failures to provide frontline workers with personal protective equipment (PPE) during the coronavirus pandemic could lead to criminal charges, solicitor advocate Ciarán Moynagh has warned. Mr Moynagh, of Belfast-based Phoenix Law, told the Belfast Telegraph that the Department of Health's dut

Larry Fenelon, co-founder and managing partner at Leman Solicitors, responds to new measures affecting public works. The Minister for Finance has confirmed that building contractors working under public works contracts are entitled to claim some expenses resulting from site closures in response to

The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) will livestream its proceedings for the first time in its history as part of its move to remote hearings during the coronavirus pandemic. The court has traditionally resisted moves towards live broadcasts of its hearings, instead publishing audio recor

Remote court hearings are set to begin later this month following a successful trial of the new technology, the Chief Justice has announced. Solicitors, barristers and courts staff across various jurisdictions are now taking part in mock hearings ahead of the use of the technology in actual cases "e

Prominent Belfast solicitor Niall Murphy was applauded by healthcare workers as he was wheeled out of intensive care following nearly two weeks of treatment for coronavirus. A video of the 43-year-old lawyer, a partner at KRW LAW LLP, leaving intensive care was posted on Twitter by Sinn Féin

High Court cases listed for a hearing next week should be adjourned for four weeks rather than eight weeks, the Lord Chief Justice has directed. Amended COVID-19 guidance issued to courts states that "in most cases the adjournment period will be one of eight weeks".

A new awareness campaign has been launched to ensure that victims of domestic abuse know services are still available in spite of the coronavirus pandemic. New TV and radio ads now airing reflect the particular issues raised for some by the need to stay at home because of restrictions introduced to

Ronan Hynes, partner at Sellors, considers how the coronavirus pandemic has accelerated the transformation of the justice sector. COVID-19 has reminded us how globalised the world has become, how interconnected we all are and the role that technology will play in our future. The World Economic Forum

Ireland's human rights watchdog has called on political parties forming the next government to safeguard rights in its response to the coronavirus pandemic. In a letter sent to party leaders, acting chief commissioner Tony Geoghegan said Ireland's "legal human rights and equality norms" should "cont