Family Law

Family lawyers have welcomed progress on "long overdue" proposals to establish new dedicated family courts within the existing court structures. Justice Minister Helen McEntee today announced that government ministers have approved the drafting of a Family Court Bill, which will provide for the esta

Prominent family lawyer Marion Campbell has joined KOD Lyons after more than 10 years in private practice. Ms Campbell, who will head the firm's family law team, has practised as a solicitor since 1976, working at the Legal Aid Board for two decades and most recently leading Marion Campbell Solicito

The Family Lawyers' Association of Ireland has established a working group of child care law practitioners to make recommendations for reform of the Child Care Act 1991. Solicitor Gareth Noble of KOD Lyons has been appointed to chair the group, and is joined by Sarah Fennell BL, Lewis Mooney BL and

Family lawyer William Cross has taken a break from retirement to join Edwards & Co Solicitors as a locum. Mr Cross will support the firm's family department while partner Julie Tierney takes maternity leave.

The Court of Appeal (Civil Division) has remitted care proceedings in respect of a baby whose brother died to the Family Division after finding that the original judge may have expressed bias against one of the parties when she made a number of pejorative comments to her clerk about t

Family law issues have remained the dominant theme of calls to the Children's Rights Alliance helpline in its second year, revealing a "serious gap" in the family law system. The organisation established the helpline and free legal advice clinics in 2018 to ensure that all children have access to fr

Funding has been secured to allow the proposed dedicated family courts complex at Hammond Lane to go ahead, Justice Minister Helen McEntee has said. The project, on a site adjacent to the Four Courts, was originally announced in September 2015 following years of criticism from family lawyers that th

Lawyers have cautiously welcomed a commitment to family law reform in the draft Programme for Government agreed by Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil and the Green Party. The deal struck between the three parties after protracted talks includes the creation of a new dedicated family court within the exis

The Lord Chief Justice, Sir Declan Morgan, has warned against the "misuse" of remote courts technology following its use during the COVID-19 pandemic. Sir Declan questioned the suitability of remote hearings in some areas of the law in recorded remarks for members of the Commonwealth Lawyers' Associ

The Bar Council of Ireland should be slapped with a €2 million bill and asked to pay market rent for the continued use of the Law Library building at the Four Courts or be evicted to make way for a family courts complex, a barrister has said. Eugenie Houston, a practising barrister "who is inde

The Law Society of Ireland's family and child law committee has updated its guidance on issues arising from the COVID-19 pandemic. The updated version of the guidance, which was first published in March, is now available from the Law Society website.

Concerns that parents could secretly record remote childcare hearings "must be weighed against the importance of cases continuing to be heard", a leading family lawyer has said. Speaking to Irish Legal News, solicitor Keith Walsh said he accepted that virtual hearings in the District Court "present

The High Court has refused the return of a child pursuant to Hague Convention on the grounds that it would place the child in an intolerable situation. Background

Family lawyer Keith Walsh has set out practical tips for solicitors attending remote hearings. The Dublin solicitor has been involved in a number of remote hearings, including some of the first divorce cases heard remotely in Dublin Circuit Court.

Hearings on breach of access and breach of maintenance for separated parents are expected to be treated as urgent matters by the District Court. Judge Colin Daly, president of the District Court, will make an announcement on the matter within the next day, according to RTÉ.