2.2 IRISH COURT SYSTEM
DISTRICT COURT
LOCATION
24 Districts around Ireland
CONSISTS OF
President of the District Court
63 Ordinary judges
MATTER HEARD BY
1 Judge alone
ORIGINAL JURISDICTION
Monetary Limit €15,000 or less
Civil: Contract/tort/debt recovery/barring orders/liquor licence renewal/Children's court
Criminal: Summary offences, non-jury, indictable (minor) with agreement
CIRCUIT COURT
LOCATION
8 circuits
CONSISTS OF
President of the circuit Court
37 Ordinary judges
President of the District Court ex officio
MATTER HEARD BY
1 judge alone (jury)
ORIGINAL JURISDICTION
€15,001 - €75,000
Civil: Contract/tort/family-divorce/jud separation
Criminal - Indictable - Sexual offences, assault, robbery
HIGH COURT
LOCATION
Dublin - it also sits on circuit around the country
CONSISTS OF
President of the High Court
37 Ordinary judges
President of the Circuit Court ex officio
MATTER HEARD BY
Usually 1 judge alone
Jury required for CIVIL CASES - defamation, assault and battery, false imprisonment, malicious prosecution
3 Judges if President of the High Court directs
COURT OF APPEAL
LOCATION
Dublin only
CONSISTS OF
President of the Court of Appeal
9 Ordinary judges
Chief justice and President of the High Court ex offico
MATTER HEARD BY
May sit in divisions of 3, sometimes one alone
APPELLATE JURISDICTION
Hears Civil Appeals: From High Court
Hears criminal appeals: From Circuit Court, Central Criminal Court, Special Criminal Court