Marie Baker Explained

Office:Judge of the Supreme Court
Term Start:2 December 2019
Term End:15 April 2024[1]
Nominator:Government of Ireland
Appointer:Michael D. Higgins
Office1:Judge of the Court of Appeal
Term Start1:28 June 2018
Term End1:2 December 2019
Nominator1:Government of Ireland
Appointer1:Michael D. Higgins
Office2:Judge of the High Court
Term Start2:8 January 2014
Term End2:28 June 2018
Nominator2:Government of Ireland
Appointer2:Michael D. Higgins
Birth Date:6 February 1954
Birth Place:Dublin, Ireland

Marie Baker (born 6 February 1954) is an Irish judge who served as a Judge of the Supreme Court from 2019 to 2024, a Judge of the Court of Appeal from 2018 to 2019, and a Judge of the High Court from 2014 to 2018.

Early career

Baker was educated at University College Cork, where she received BA, MA and BCL degrees.[2] She later attended and studied at the King's Inns and became a barrister in 1984 and a senior counsel in 2004.[3] Her practice predominantly focused on commercial law, conveyancing, family law and litigation. She specialised on cases involving the National Asset Management Agency towards the end of her career as a barrister.[4] She was a member of the Study Group on Pre-nuptial Agreements, which reported to the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform in 2007.[5] She has previously acted as a part-time commissioner of the Law Reform Commission and lectured in several areas of law.[6]

Judicial career

High Court

She was appointed to the High Court in January 2014.[7] She sat in on a three-judge division of the High Court in December 2014 in the case of PP v. HSE.[8]

Court of Appeal

Baker was elevated to the Court of Appeal in June 2018.[9] She holds a statutory position as the designated judge for the purpose of two acts: the Interception of Postal Packets and Telecommunications Messages (Regulation) Act 1993 and the Communications (Retention of Data) Act 2011. In this role she produces an annual report for the Oireachtas.[10] She also communicates with the Taoiseach in relation to privacy and interception of communications issues.[11]

Supreme Court

She was appointed to the Supreme Court in December 2019.[12] Her appointment followed the retirement of Susan Denham in 2018.[13] Her first sitting on the court occurred on 16 January 2020, marking the first time four women had sat together on the Supreme Court.[14]

Baker is the Assigned Judge for the Irish courts to supervise the use of personal data while courts act in their judicial capacity.[15]

Electoral Commission

Baker also serves as chairperson of the Electoral Commission of Ireland. Chief Justice Donal O'Donnell appointed her to that position when the commission was established in 2023.[16]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Tribute to Ms Justice Marie Baker.
  2. Web site: Who's Who in Law . UCC School of Law . 21 May 2019 . 23 June 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190623182342/https://www.ucc.ie/en/alumni/benefits/who/law/ . live .
  3. Web site: Appointments to the High Court . Irish Government News Service . 21 May 2019 . 16 May 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190516220425/https://merrionstreet.ie/en/News-Room/Releases/appointments-to-the-high-court-2.html . live .
  4. News: Sheehy . Clodagh . Court in succession: Family affair at Aras as judges appointed . 21 May 2019 . Irish Independent . 9 January 2014 . 29 June 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190629211353/https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/court-in-succession-family-affair-at-aras-as-judges-appointed-29900854.html . live .
  5. Web site: Report of Study Group on Pre-nuptial Agreements Published . Department of Justice and Equality . 21 May 2019 . 19 October 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20191019010138/http://www.justice.ie/en/JELR/Pages/Report-of-study-group-on-pre-nuptial-agreements-published . live .
  6. News: Bohan . Christine . Here are the three new judges appointed to the High Court today . 21 May 2019 . TheJournal.ie . 8 January 2014 . Journal 2013 . 16 May 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190516220428/https://www.thejournal.ie/new-high-court-judges-1254870-Jan2014/ . live .
  7. Web site: President Appoints Judges of the High Court . President.ie . 21 May 2019 . 16 May 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190516220427/https://president.ie/en/news/article/president-appoints-judges-of-the-high-court-1 . live .
  8. News: Baker . Noel . Managh . Ray . Unborn baby gets barrister for court battle . 21 May 2019 . Irish Examiner . 23 December 2014 . 31 March 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160331154527/http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/unborn-baby-gets-barrister-for-court-battle-303900.html . live .
  9. Web site: President appoints new Judges . President.ie . 21 May 2019 . 12 May 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190512172546/https://president.ie/en/diary/details/president-appoints-ms-justice-marie-baker-and-mr-justice-brian-j.-mcgovern . live .
  10. News: Ms Justice Baker calls for urgent revision of data retention laws . 21 May 2019 . Irish Legal News . 22 October 2018 . 23 September 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210923025921/https://www.irishlegal.com/articles/ms-justice-baker-calls-for-urgent-revision-of-data-retention-laws . live .
  11. Web site: Interception of Postal Packets and Telecommunications Messages (Regulation) Act, 1993 . Irish Statute Book . 21 May 2019 . 8 December 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20191208032356/http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/1993/act/10/enacted/en/print.html . live .
  12. Web site: Diary President Appoints Judges To The Supreme Court And The High Court Dec 2019 . president.ie . Office of the President of Ireland . 3 December 2019 . en . 10 December 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201210040750/https://president.ie/en/diary/details/president-appoints-judges-to-the-supreme-court-and-the-high-court-dec-2019 . live .
  13. News: Judges nominated for appointment to Supreme, Circuit and District Courts . 3 December 2019 . Law Society Gazette . 27 November 2019 . 3 December 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20191203183806/https://www.lawsociety.ie/gazette/top-stories/judges-nominated-for-appointment--to-supreme-circuit-and-district-courts/ . live .
  14. News: Supreme Court sits with four women judges in landmark moment . 16 January 2020 . Irish Legal News . en . 16 January 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200116135414/https://www.irishlegal.com/article/supreme-court-sits-with-four-women-judges-in-landmark-moment . live .
  15. Web site: Data Protection Complaints Procedure . Courts.ie . 20 July 2020 . 20 July 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200720185614/https://beta.courts.ie/data-protection-complaints-procedure . live .
  16. Web site: Members of the Commission . The Electoral Commission . 4 November 2023.

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