Courts Act, 1977

What is this act about?

This law, the Courts Act, 1977, primarily updates the number of judges allowed in the High Court, Circuit Court, and District Court, and sets rules for how Circuit Court judges are assigned to specific circuits.

Who it applies to: Judges of the High Court, Circuit Court, and justices of the District Court; The Government, regarding the appointment and assignment of judges.

At a glance

Country: Ireland
Area of law: Procedural law
Articles: 5
Source: irishstatutebook.ie
Text retrieved: 2026-06-17
Explanation updated: 2026-07-07

What does this act regulate?

The maximum number of ordinary judges for the High Court and Circuit Court.
The maximum number of justices for the District Court.
The permanent and temporary assignment of Circuit Court judges to specific circuits.
Amendments to previous Courts Acts regarding judicial appointments and assignments.

Who does this act apply to?

Judges of the High Court, Circuit Court, and justices of the District Court.
The Government, regarding the appointment and assignment of judges.

What are the key points?

The number of ordinary High Court judges shall not be more than nine.
The number of ordinary Circuit Court judges shall not be more than eleven.
The number of District Court justices, in addition to the President, shall not be more than thirty-nine.
Four Circuit Court judges are permanently assigned to the Dublin Circuit, and one judge to each other circuit.

Procedural law

Licensing (Renewal of Licences) Act, 1923

Misuse of Drugs Act, 1984

Children Act, 1997

Courts (No. 2) Act, 1986

Animals Act, 1985

Regional Technical Colleges (Amendment) Act, 1994

Irish Legal Terms Act, 1945

Industrial Development (Encouragement of External Investment) Act, 1958

Procedural law

Legal text

Contents (5)

Section 1
Section 2
Section 3
Section 4
Section 5

Courts Act, 1977 Skip to content Disclaimer Feedback Helpdesk Gaeilge Léim go dtí an t-ábhar Séanadh Aiseolas Deasc chabhrach English Gaeilge English Produced by the Office of the Attorney General Táirgthe ag Oifig an Ard-Aighne Home Legislation Acts of the Oireachtas Statutory Instruments Pre-1922 Legislation Constitution External Resources Bills (Houses of the Oireachtas) Iris Oifigiúil / Official Gazette Revised Acts (LRC) Classified List of Legislation (LRC) Translations (acts.ie) Translations (Houses of the Oireachtas) Government Publications for Sale EU Law (EUR-Lex) FAQ Disclaimer Feedback Helpdesk Search Baile Reachtaíocht Achtanna an Oireachtais Ionstraimí Reachtúla Reachtaíocht Réamh-1922 Bunreacht Acmhainní Seachtracha Billí (Tithe an Oireachtais) Iris Oifigiúil Achtanna Athbhreithnithe (CAD) (An Coimisiún um Athchóiriú an Dlí) Liosta Rangaithe Reachtaíochta Aistriúcháin (achtanna.ie) Aistriúcháin (Tithe an Oireachtais) Foilseacháin Rialtais ar Díol Dlí AE (EUR-Lex) CCanna (Ceisteanna Coitianta) Séanadh Aiseolas Deasc chabhrach Cuardach TitleTeideal Year(s) or rangeBliain nó blianta nó raon TypeCineál All Legislation Acts Statutory Instruments Advanced SearchCuardach Casta HomeBaile ActsAchtanna 1977 Courts Act, 1977 Courts Act, 1977 Permanent Page URL View by SectionAmharc de réir Ailt View Full ActAmharc ar an Acht Iomlán Bill History Stair Bille Commencement, Amendments, SIs made under the Act Tosach Feidhme, Leasuithe, IRí arna ndéanamh faoin Acht Print Full ActPriontáil an tAcht Iomlán Number 11 of 1977 COURTS ACT, 1977 ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS Section

Section 1

Number of ordinary judges of High Court and Circuit Court and number of justices of District Court.

Section 2

Assignment of judges of Circuit Court to circuits.

Section 3

Consequential.

Section 4

Repeals.

Section 5

Short title, collective citation and construction.

Number 11 of 1977 COURTS ACT, 1977 AN ACT TO AMEND AND EXTEND THE COURTS (SUPPLEMENTAL PROVISIONS) ACTS, 1961 TO 1973. [10th May, 1977] BE IT ENACTED BY THE OIREACHTAS AS FOLLOWS:

Number of ordinary judges of High Court and Circuit Court and number of justices of District Court.

1.—(1) The number of ordinary judges of the High Court shall not be more than nine.

(2)The number of ordinary judges of the Circuit Court shall not be more than eleven.

(3)The number of justices of the District Court, in addition to the President of the District Court, shall not be more than thirty-nine.

Assignment of judges of Circuit Court to circuits.

2.—(1) (a) There shall be four judges of the Circuit Court permanently assigned to the Dublin Circuit. (b) There shall be one judge of the Circuit Court permanently assigned to each other circuit.

(2)Where a judge of the Circuit Court is appointed, the Government shall permanently assign him either— (a) to the Dublin Circuit if at the date of the appointment there are less than four judges permanently assigned to that circuit, or (b) to any other circuit to which at the date of appointment there is no judge permanently assigned.

(3)Where a judge of the Circuit Court is appointed and cannot be permanently assigned to a particular circuit on appointment, such judge may, at any time thereafter, be permanently assigned to any circuit to fill a vacancy for a judge permanently assigned to that circuit.

(4)Any judge of the Circuit Court who is permanently assigned to a particular circuit may at any time, if he so consents but not otherwise, be transferred by the Government to another circuit to fill a vacancy for a judge permanently assigned to that other circuit and shall upon such transfer become and be permanently assigned to that other circuit in lieu of the first-mentioned circuit.

(5)Where a judge of the Circuit Court is permanently assigned to a circuit, the Government, at his request, may, if they so think fit, terminate his permanent assignment to that circuit and the judge may at any time thereafter be permanently assigned by the Government to any circuit to fill a vacancy for a judge permanently assigned to that circuit.

(6)A judge of the Circuit Court who is not for the time being permanently assigned to a particular circuit may from time to time be temporarily assigned to any circuit by the President of the Circuit Court.

(7)Where a judge of the Circuit Court is temporarily assigned, under subsection (6) of this section, to a circuit, such judge shall, while so temporarily assigned, have, in relation to such circuit and concurrently with any judge permanently assigned thereto and any judge who is temporarily assigned, under section 10 of the Courts of Justice Act, 1947 , as applied by section 48 of the Courts (Supplemental Provisions) Act, 1961 , to such circuit, all the privileges, powers and duties for the time being conferred or imposed by law on a judge permanently assigned to such circuit.

Consequential.

3.—(1) The following clause shall be substituted for clause (b) of paragraph 2 (1) of the Sixth Schedule to the Courts (Supplemental Provisions) Act, 1961 : “(b) Where, at the time of the appointment of a person to be a district justice, there are nine district justices not permanently assigned to particular districts, the Government shall assign that person permanently to a particular district”.

(2)The following paragraph shall be substituted for paragraph (b) of section 14

(1)of the Law Reform Commission Act, 1975 : “(b) in case on being so appointed he is the President of the High Court or an ordinary judge of the High Court, then for so long as he continues to hold the judicial office held by him on so being appointed— (i) the number of ordinary judges of the High Court shall not be more than ten, and (ii) the reference in section 1 (1) of the Courts Act, 1977, to nine shall be construed as a reference to ten, and”.

Repeals.

4.—Subsections (2) and (3) of section 20 and section 28 of the Courts (Supplemental Provisions) Act, 1961 , sections 2

(1)and 4 of the Courts Act, 1964 , and section 1

(1)of the Courts Act, 1973 , are hereby repealed.

Short title, collective citation and construction.

5.—(1) This Act may be cited as the Courts Act, 1977.

(2)The Courts (Supplemental Provisions) Acts, 1961 to 1973, and this Act may be cited together as the Courts (Supplemental Provisions) Acts, 1961 to 1977, and shall be construed together as one.

Acts Referred to Courts of Justice Act, 1947 1947, No. 20 Courts (Supplemental Provisions) Act, 1961 1961, No. 39 Courts Act, 1964 1964, No. 11 Courts Act, 1973 1973, No. 26 Law Reform Commission Act, 1975 1975, No. 3 Privacy Statement Accessibility European Legislation Identifier (PDF) Open Data License Ráiteas Príobháideachais Inrochtaineacht Aitheantóir Eorpach Reachtaíochta (ELI) Ceadúnas Sonraí Oscailte Liosta Fianán © Government of Ireland. Oireachtas Copyright Material is reproduced with the permission of the Houses of the Oireachtas © Rialtas na hÉireann. Atáirgtear ábhar faoi Chóipcheart le cead ó Thithe an Oireachtais

AI explanation based on the official legal text. Indicative, not a substitute for legal advice.