News

LK Shields Solicitors has announced the appointment of Abigail Butler as a senior associate in the firm's litigation and dispute resolution team. Ms Butler joins from another Irish law firm and has experience in dealing with matters before the Circuit Court, High Court, Commercial Court and Court of

Activity in the Northern Ireland courts returned to pre-pandemic levels in 2021, according to new figures. The latest statistical bulletin from the Department of Justice shows that the number of prosecutions disposed at Crown Court in 2021 was 1,598, a 37.4 per cent increase from 2020, while prosecu

Planning law changes introduced to increase home ownership and restrict the practice of bulk purchasing by institutional investors have led to almost 16,000 residential units being ring-fenced for individual buyers. Housing minister Darragh O'Brien yesterday published a progress update on the minist

Emergency legislation is to be brought forward by ministers to provide for a continued legal basis for gardaí to present cases in the District Court on behalf of their colleagues. The move comes after the High Court ruled last week that members of An Garda Síochána only have a r

A round-up of human rights stories from around the world. Fury at UN human rights chief over ‘whitewash’ of Uyghur repression

Special jury provisions will be introduced for the Stardust inquests through legislation now being drafted, the government has announced. The legislation will allow the Dublin coroner to seek the assistance of the Courts Service in selecting a jury using a process similar to that used in civil and c

Irish Legal News endorses the sentiments expressed by The Guardian in its editorial today regarding the UK government's cynical machinations and lawbreaking around the Northern Ireland Protocol. "There is no good reason for the UK to sabotage relations with its European neighbours, but doing it to s

Only Fools and Horses character Del Boy is protected under copyright law as a "literary work", an English judge has ruled. The High Court in London was asked to rule in a dispute between the makers of the TV show and an "interactive theatrical dining experience" called Only Fools the (Cushty) Dining

Recent decisions by the UK Supreme Court which have revered the court's previous position on the law give the "troubling impression" that it is succumbing to political pressure, a new parliamentary report has warned. Westminster's all-party parliamentary group on democracy and the constitution (APPG

The Equality Commission for Northern Ireland has called for urgent clarity on what funding it will receive from the UK government after EU funding is withdrawn next year. The equality watchdog has published a new research report exploring the impact of the loss of EU funding on equality groups in No

An attorney who played a prominent role in representing Hollywood actor Johnny Depp in his successful libel action against his ex-wife, actress Amber Heard, has received a major promotion. Camille Vasquez, who gained something of a fanbase due to her highly visible role in a sensationalised trial wa

A judge in Northern Ireland's High Court has rebuked lawyers over an expert witness who said the planning permission at the centre of the case was "unlawful". Mr Justice Michael Humphreys made the remarks after rejecting several grounds of challenge against planning permission for a GAA stadium in C

A man who raps about robbing ATMs has been arrested on suspicion of robbing an ATM. Ladesion Riley, a 30-year-old from Houston, Texas recently released a YouTube video where he raps about frequently robbing ATMs out of state.

The Mediators' Institute of Ireland (MII) has announced the appointment of Stiofán Nutty as its first-ever chief executive officer. Mr Nutty, an MII-accredited mediator who previously served on the MII Council in 2013/14 and has worked as a PR consultant for the body, will take up the role fr

A man has been arrested and charged with the attempted murder of US Supreme Court justice Brett Kavanaugh. Nicholas John Roske was allegedly found with a gun and a knife after his arrest near the justice's home in California early on Wednesday morning, The Washington Post reports.