News

The 180-year-old courthouse building in Tuam will be demolished and replaced rather than refurbished, Courts Service officials have confirmed. The courthouse, which dates back to the 1840s, was closed in 2005 after health and safety concerns were raised, leading to the relocation of court sittings t

Belfast-based firm Cleaver Fulton Rankin has been appointed to the Crown Commercial Service (CCS) Wider Public Sector Legal Services Framework (RM3788). The firm will provide a full legal service under ‘Lot 2c Full Service – Northern Ireland’, across its core and niche specialisms,

The Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland will pay damages to families and survivors over its first report on the Loughinisland massacre. The police watchdog admitted failings and said it would pay undisclosed damages as part of the settlement announced in the High Court in Belfast on Friday, BBC Ne

Brendan McAllister has taken up his position as interim advocate for victims and survivors of historical institutional abuse. Mr McAllister's office in Belfast officially opened today following his appointment by David Sterling, head of the Northern Ireland civil service, last month.

Dublin-based Leman Solicitors has been recognised by Fairtrade Ireland as a leading fairtrade workplace. Leman is the only law firm among the 13 companies listed on the charity's website as among the top ethical employers in Ireland.

Fewer British passports and more Irish passports are being issued to residents of Northern Ireland, figures reveal. The number of British passports issued to people living in Northern Ireland has fallen from 129,550 in 2015 to 119,298 in 2018, The Irish Times reports.

A legal petition to stop Prime Minister Boris Johnson forcing through a no-deal Brexit by suspending Parliament has been granted permission to proceed. Given the urgency of the situation, an initial hearing to determine further procedure is due to be held at the Court of Session in Edinburgh to

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has unveiled plans to "overhaul the criminal justice system" in England and Wales by reviewing sentencing policy, investing £2.5 billion in the construction of new prisons, and strengthening police stop-and-search powers. A review team reporting back to Mr Johnson

Soaring immigration fees have led to accusations of profiteering against the Home Office, which made £500 million last year. Analysis by The Times shows that fees charged to hundreds of thousands of people for British residency and citizenship have increased sharply over the past five years, w

A teenager who broke into an airport and took two planes for a ride has been invited to train there as a pilot. The 13-year-old sneaked into the local airport and gave the planes a whirl, crashing the first into a guardrail and abandoning the other after taking it round in circles on the runway.

A man who suffered an injury to his knee requiring surgery after he slipped on the stone staircase at the National Museum of Ireland has been awarded €67,000 in the High Court. Criticising the Museum for its failure to provide the court with CCTV evidence of the fall, or present witnesses who h

A former garda who was dismissed in 1982 has received formal acknowledgement that he was sacked because of his "alleged homosexual activity". In a letter, Garda Commissioner Drew Harris told the man, who is using the pseudonym "Liam", that the Department of Justice had located a document confirming

Former solicitor and judge Greg McCourt has been appointed to scrutinise reports of searches and seizures carried out across the UK without judicial approval. Mr McCourt spent over three decades in private practice in Bangor prior to spending over a decade as a district judge in Northern Ireland.

The High Court will hear a judicial review over conditions at Portlaoise Prison next month. Ms Justice Teresa Pilkington yesterday granted permission to Frederick 'Freddie' Thompson, 39, to bring the challenge, which she made returnable to a date in September, The Irish Times reports.

Campaigners have urged gardaí to revise their policies following new analysis which shows that over 150 sex workers have been prosecuted for brothel-keeping in the last decade. Brothel-keeping is a criminal offence in Ireland under section 11 of the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act 1993, an