Gillian O'Hanlon BL

Northern Ireland’s Court of Appeal has allowed an appeal against a decision of the Parole Commissioners for Northern Ireland to direct the release of a prisoner on licence. Delivering judgment for the Court of Appeal of Northern Ireland, Mr Justice Adrian Colton explained: “What is not l

The UK Supreme Court has upheld an appeal against judgments of the High Court and Court of Appeal in relation to the disclosure in a Troubles-related inquest of “gists” of sensitive information over which public interest immunity was claimed. Delivering judgment for the UK Supreme Court,

The High Court has granted orders permitting the withdrawal of life-sustaining treatment and active supportive care from a woman who suffered hypoxic brain injury following cardiac arrest. Delivering judgment for the High Court, Mr Justice David Barniville explained: "The court must take into accoun

The High Court has opined upon the costs landscape in the context of a personal injuries action which was unsuccessful both at trial and on appeal. Delivering judgment for the High Court, Mr Justice Michael Twomey opined: "Instead of justice being administered to Ms Putniene, in this court’s v

The High Court has awarded damages, including exemplary damages, to two men who were attacked by a farmer with a shotgun in Co Donegal. Delivering judgment for the High Court in November, Ms Justice Leonie Reynolds considered that the defendant’s conduct had been “reprehensible in every

The High Court has struck out an appeal launched in 2003 against an order for possession of a property in Inchicore, Dublin. Delivering judgment for the High Court, Mr Justice Anthony Barr remarked: “To permit an appeal to proceed in 2025 when the notice of appeal was served in 2003 and when t

The Court of Appeal has overturned a man’s conviction for sexual assault on his young cousin due to a defect in the trial judge’s charge to the jury. Delivering judgment for the Court of Appeal, Mr Justice Peter Charleton considered that: “Proof in a criminal trial is beyond reason

The High Court has set aside a renewal order in respect of a 2015 personal injuries summons where, despite negligence and misconduct on part of the plaintiff’s original solicitor, the court found no special circumstances which could have justified the making of that order. Delivering judgment

The Supreme Court has dismissed the appeal of a man who falsely imprisoned and brutally assaulted his partner at various locations in Dublin city centre. Delivering the leading judgment for the Supreme Court, Ms Justice Iseult O’Malley observed that s.40 of the Domestic Violence Act 2018 &ldqu

Northern Ireland’s High Court has made declarations to the effect that an elderly woman suffering with dementia lacks capacity and can be transferred from hospital to a nursing home for continued care. Delivering judgment for the High Court of Northern Ireland in November, Mr Justice Michael H

The Court of Appeal has dismissed a challenge to the legislation which provides for the issuing of a “single guilty verdict not requiring unanimity” by the Special Criminal Court. Delivering judgment for the Court of Appeal, Ms Justice Niamh Hyland highlighted that the appellant "is not

The Court of Appeal has dismissed an appeal against conviction notwithstanding that evidence of a doctor called by the prosecution should not have been elicited in re-examination or allowed by the trial judge. Delivering judgment for the Court of Appeal, Mr Justice Brian O’Moore emphasised: &l

The High Court has refused to grant injunctive relief to former licencees of Mattress Mick’s trademarks. Delivering judgment for the High Court, Ms Justice Marguerite Bolger was not satisfied that the plaintiffs had raised a serious issue to be tried and found that the “balance of justic

The High Court has refused an application for security for costs brought by a life assurance company which sold an investment property to a new purchaser in 2017, despite having already sold it to the plaintiff in 1991. Delivering judgment for the High Court, Mr Justice David Nolan reasoned: "The co

The Supreme Court has determined that s.39(3) of the Residential Tenancies Act 2004, which limits the statutory entitlement of certain family members to succeed to a tenancy on the death of the original tenant to those over 18 years of age, does not offend the Constitution. Delivering the lead judgm