Karen O'Connor (judge) explained
Karen O'Connor is an Irish judge and lawyer who has served as a Judge of the High Court since December 2021. She previously served as a Judge of the Circuit Court from 2014 to 2021. She previously practiced as a barrister specialising in criminal law.
Early life
O'Connor was educated at Trinity College Dublin and the King's Inns.[1] [2]
Legal career
She was called to the Bar in 1993.[3] During her career as a barrister she frequently appeared in criminal trials, often prosecuting on behalf of the Director of Public Prosecutions.[4] She acted in cases involving sexual offences, drug offences, theft, murder and assault.[5] [6] [7] [8] [9]
Judicial career
Circuit Court
O'Connor became a judge of the Circuit Court in November 2014.[10] She presided over criminal trials in the Circuit Court.[11] [12] She was initially not assigned to a circuit and heard cases in Galway.[13] [14] She was assigned to the Dublin Circuit between 2017 and 2021.[15] [16]
O'Connor was the presiding judge in the criminal trials of Tom Humphries in 2017 and David Drumm in 2018.[17] [18] The Drumm trial lasted for 16 weeks.[19]
High Court
The Irish government agreed to nominate her to become a judge of the High Court in November 2021. She was appointed on 6 December 2021.[20]
Notes and References
- News: Leahy . Pat . Nominations of three new High Court judges to be sent to President . 30 November 2021 . The Irish Times . en.
- Web site: Appointments to the High Court . www.gov.ie . 4 December 2021 . en.
- Web site: Karen O'Connor . Law Library . 30 November 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20071119084623/http://lawlibrary.ie/members/barrister.asp?barID=894 . 19 November 2007 . dead.
- News: Businessman jailed for sex assault on girl . 30 November 2021 . The Irish Times . en.
- News: Man jailed for sex assault on niece (6) . 30 November 2021 . The Irish Times . en.
- News: Couple jailed over €100,000 cannabis find . 30 November 2021 . The Irish Times . en.
- News: Sentence suspended for theft of eight laptops from Government . 30 November 2021 . The Irish Times . en.
- News: Accused in murder case walks free . 30 November 2021 . The Irish Times . en.
- News: Nurse's aid gets jail for attacking woman . 30 November 2021 . The Irish Times . en.
- Web site: JAAB Annual Report 2014 . JAAB . 30 November 2021.
- News: Magee . Jessica . McLean . Sonya . Man who stole nearly €1m from employer jailed for 18 months . 30 November 2021 . The Irish Times . en.
- News: Hayes . Isabel . Ferguson . Fiona . PC World worker who stole €27k of Apple goods gets community service . The Irish Times . en.
- Web site: The Judges . Courts.ie . 30 November 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150213002802/http://www.courts.ie/courts.ie/library3.nsf/pagecurrent/646E98A7939A4C65802576D9005652F8?opendocument&l=en . 13 February 2015.
- News: Healy . Ann . Mother pleads not guilty to child cruelty and neglect . 30 November 2021 . The Irish Times . en.
- Web site: The Judges . Courts.ie . 30 November 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180805000530/http://www.courts.ie/courts.ie/library3.nsf/pagecurrent/91D731A12A4B8A0F80257FBC004E191F?opendocument&l=en . 5 August 2018.
- Web site: The Judges The Courts Service of Ireland . www.courts.ie . 30 November 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211108150911/https://www.courts.ie/judges . 8 November 2021.
- News: Ryan . Órla . 'The higher the profile and success of a member of society, the greater the fall' . 30 November 2021 . TheJournal.ie . en.
- News: Murphy . Sarah Jane . Judge warns David Drumm jury not to carry out research on social media . 30 November 2021 . TheJournal.ie . en.
- News: Murphy . Sarah Jane . David Drumm trial: Defence put up strenuous challenge in lengthy legal arguments . 30 November 2021 . The Irish Times . en.
- Web site: Diary President Higgins Appoints Judges To The High Court December 2021 . president.ie . 6 December 2021 . en.
