In short
This law, the Courts Act 2023, increases the number of judges in various courts across Ireland. It specifically amends existing laws to allow for more judges in the Court of Appeal, High Court, Circuit Court, and District Court.
What it regulates
- The maximum number of ordinary judges for the Court of Appeal.
- The maximum number of ordinary judges for the High Court.
- The maximum number of ordinary judges for the Circuit Court.
- The maximum number of judges for the District Court, in addition to its President.
Who it concerns
- The Court of Appeal.
- The High Court.
- The Circuit Court.
- The District Court.
Key points
- The Court of Appeal can now have not more than 17 ordinary judges.
- The High Court can now have not more than 48 ordinary judges.
- The Circuit Court can now have not more than 45 ordinary judges.
- The District Court can now have not more than 71 judges, in addition to the President of the District Court.
đ Legal text
Courts Act 2023
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Number 12 of 2023
COURTS ACT 2023
CONTENTS
Section
1. Definition
2. Number of ordinary judges of Court of Appeal
3. Amendment of Sixth Schedule to Courts (Supplemental Provisions) Act 1961
4. Number of ordinary judges of High Court
5. Number of ordinary judges of Circuit Court
6. Number of judges of District Court
7. Short title and collective citation
Acts Referred to
Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) (Amendment) Act 2022
(No. 46)
Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2008
(No. 14)
Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2021
(No. 14)
Courts (Establishment and Constitution) Act 1961
(No. 38)
Courts (Supplemental Provisions) Act 1961
(No. 39)
Courts (Supplemental Provisions) Acts 1961 to 2021
Courts Act 2019
(No. 30)
Courts and Court Officers (Amendment) Act 2007
(No. 4)
Courts and Court Officers Act 1995
(No. 31)
Number 12 of 2023
COURTS ACT 2023
An Act to provide for an increase in the number of ordinary judges of the Court of Appeal and, for that purpose, to amend the
Courts (Establishment and Constitution) Act 1961
; to provide for an increase in the number of ordinary judges of the High Court, ordinary judges of the Circuit Court and judges of the District Court and, for those purposes, to amend the
Courts (Supplemental Provisions) Act 1961
and the
Courts and Court Officers Act 1995
; and to provide for related matters.
[19th May, 2023]
Be it enacted by the Oireachtas as follows:
Definition
1. In this Act, âAct of 1995â means the
Courts and Court Officers Act 1995
.
Number of ordinary judges of Court of Appeal
2. Section 1A(2) of the
Courts (Establishment and Constitution) Act 1961
is amended by the substitution of the following paragraph for paragraph (b) (amended by
section 1
of the
Courts Act 2019
):
â(b) not more than 17 ordinary judges, each of whom shall be styled âBreitheamh den ChĂșirt Achomhaircâ (âJudge of the Court of Appealâ).â.
Amendment of Sixth Schedule to Courts (Supplemental Provisions) Act 1961
3. The Sixth Schedule to the
Courts (Supplemental Provisions) Act 1961
is amended in paragraph 2(1) by the substitution of the following clause for clause (b) (amended by
section 5
of the
Courts and Court Officers (Amendment) Act 2007
):
â(b) Where, at the time of the appointment of a person to be a judge of the District Court, there are 28 judges of the District Court not permanently assigned to particular districts, the Government shall assign that person permanently to a particular district.â.
Number of ordinary judges of High Court
4. Section 9 (amended by
section 8
of the
Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2021
) of the Act of 1995 is amended by the substitution of the following subsection for subsection (1):
â(1) Subject to subsection (2), the number of ordinary judges of the High Court shall not be more than 48.â.
Number of ordinary judges of Circuit Court
5. The Act of 1995 is amended by the substitution of the following section for section 10 (amended by
section 98
(1) of the
Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) (Amendment) Act 2022
):
â10. The number of ordinary judges of the Circuit Court shall not be more than 45.â.
Number of judges of District Court
6. Section 11 of the Act of 1995 is amended by the substitution of the following subsection for subsection (1) (amended by
section 32
of the
Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2008
):
â(1) The number of judges of the District Court in addition to the President of the District Court shall not be more than 71.â.
Short title and collective citation
7. (1) This Act may be cited as the Courts Act 2023.
(2) The Courts (Supplemental Provisions) Acts 1961 to 2021 and
sections 3
,
4
,
5
and
6
may be cited together as the Courts (Supplemental Provisions) Acts 1961 to 2023.
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