Paul Burns (judge) explained

Honorific-Prefix:The Hon. Mr. Justice
Paul Burns
Office:Judge of the High Court
Term Start:20 March 2020
Nominator:Government of Ireland
Appointer:Michael D. Higgins
Nationality:Irish

Paul Burns is an Irish judge and lawyer who has served as a Judge of the High Court of Ireland since March 2020. He previously practiced as a barrister with a specialisation in criminal trials.

Early life

Burns attended Trinity College Dublin where he obtained a bachelor's degree in legal science in 1984 and a Master of Letters in law in 1987.[1]

Legal career

He became a barrister in 1986 and became a senior counsel in 2004.[2] His practice was predominantly focused on criminal law, appearing for both accused persons and the Director of Public Prosecutions.[3] [4] Among the trials he has been involved with included serious offences of murder, sexual offences and drug offences.[5] [6] [7] He has also acted in actions involving judicial review, constitutional law, personal injuries and defamation.[8] [9] [10] [11]

In 1998, he appeared in the Special Criminal Court for Paul Ward in his trial for the murder of Veronica Guerin and in 2003, in the Court of Criminal Appeal for Catherine Nevin in an appeal of her murder conviction.[12] [13] He represented former judge Brian Curtin at trial and in Oireachtas proceedings and later former judge Heather Perrin in her trial for false accounting.[14] [15] [16] In 2007, he was counsel for the Garda Síochána in a case for damages taken by Frank McBrearty Snr and appeared for solicitor Michael Lynn in preliminary hearings.[17] [18] Burns has also represented the wife of John Gilligan in civil proceedings and, in defamation actions against media organisations, Declan Ganley, Paddy McKillen and Denis O'Brien.[19] [20] [21] He prosecuted cases against Thomas "Slab" Murphy and against a man accused of the shooting of Gareth Hutch.[22] [23]

He was appointed to the Electronic Communications Appeals Panel in 2005.[24]

Judicial career

Burns was nominated to become a judge of the High Court of Ireland in December 2019 and was appointed in March 2020.[25] The vacancy was created following Donald Binchy becoming a judge of the Court of Appeal.

He has heard cases involving extradition and bail applications.[26] [27] In October 2020, he refused to order the extradition of Ian Bailey to France for trial arising from the death of Sophie Toscan du Plantier.[28] He has also presided over cases involving personal injuries, medical negligence and homicide.[29] [30] [31]

Coffey is a judge of the Special Criminal Court.[32] [33]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Government agrees nominations for appointment to the Court of Appeal, High Court, Circuit Court and District Court . merrionstreet.ie . 13 March 2021 . en . 16 March 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200316104130/http://merrionstreet.ie/en/News-Room/News/Government_agrees_nominations_for_appointment_to_the_Court_of_Appeal_High_Court_Circuit_Court_and_District_Court.html . live .
  2. News: Four judicial appointments agreed at final Cabinet meeting of the year . 13 March 2021 . Irish Legal News . en . 30 September 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200930163706/https://irishlegal.com/article/four-judicial-appointments-agreed-at-final-cabinet-meeting-of-the-year . live .
  3. News: Remand on stolen property charge . 13 March 2021 . The Irish Times . en.
  4. News: Five appeal Kieran Keane murder convictions . 13 March 2021 . The Irish Times . en.
  5. News: Nevin trial witness is recalled . 13 March 2021 . The Irish Times . en.
  6. News: Man jailed for abusing two girls . 13 March 2021 . The Irish Times . en.
  7. News: Man gets seven years for importing cocaine . 13 March 2021 . The Irish Times . en.
  8. News: Greene . Paul . Holiday lettings not within scope of planning permission for residential use . 13 March 2021 . The Irish Times . en.
  9. News: Gillane . Sean . RTE obliged to give equal time to both sides in constitutional referendum . 13 March 2021 . The Irish Times . en.
  10. News: £20,000 for girl's pool fall . 13 March 2021 . The Irish Times . en.
  11. News: Leave given to O'Brien to expand case against 'Post' . 13 March 2021 . The Irish Times . en.
  12. News: Guerin murder trial adjourned for week . 13 March 2021 . The Irish Times . en.
  13. News: Carolan . Mary . Media 'had no bearing' on Nevin's trial . 13 March 2021 . The Irish Times . en . 23 September 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210923104754/https://www.irishtimes.com/news/media-had-no-bearing-on-nevin-s-trial-1.348711 . live .
  14. News: Coulter . Carol . Moves to impeach Judge Curtin delayed . 13 March 2021 . The Irish Times . en . 23 September 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210923104752/https://www.irishtimes.com/news/moves-to-impeach-judge-curtin-delayed-1.1141800 . live .
  15. News: Disgraced ex-judge does U-turn over €1m legal costs deal . 13 March 2021 . Irish Independent . en.
  16. News: Perrin sentenced to two years for false accounting . 13 March 2021 . RTÉ News . 13 March 2013 . en . 16 March 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130316182036/http://www.rte.ie/news/2013/0313/376471-heather-perrin-court/ . live .
  17. News: McBrearty to receive interim payment . 13 March 2021 . The Irish Times . en.
  18. News: Banks to share solicitor's financial details . 13 March 2021 . The Irish Times . en.
  19. News: Cab wants receiver put into Gilligan centre . 13 March 2021 . The Irish Times . en.
  20. News: O Faolain . Aodhan . Declan Ganley alleges RTÉ defamed him by implying he had links to organised crime . 13 March 2021 . TheJournal.ie . en . 2 December 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20191202174958/https://www.thejournal.ie/declan-ganley-rte-court-3137848-Dec2016/ . live .
  21. News: McCarthy . Justine . Tighe . Mark . O'Brien muzzles Sunday Times . 13 March 2021 . The Sunday Times . en.
  22. News: Giblin . Ruaidhrí . Slab Murphy given November date for tax evasion appeal . 13 March 2021 . TheJournal.ie . en . 16 January 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210116054910/https://www.thejournal.ie/thomas-slab-murphy-appeal-november-2792147-May2016/ . live .
  23. News: CCTV recording breaches privacy claims lawyer for Gareth Hutch murder accused . 13 March 2021 . Irish Examiner . 10 July 2018 . en.
  24. News: Dempsey beefs up comms appeals panel - Comms siliconrepublic.com - Ireland's Technology News Service . 13 March 2021 . Silicon Republic . 21 June 2005 . en . 27 October 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201027200917/https://www.siliconrepublic.com/comms/dempsey-beefs-up-comms-appeals-panel . live .
  25. Web site: Diary President Higgins Appoints Mr Paul Burns S.c To The High Court . president.ie . 13 March 2021 . en . 8 December 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201208164750/https://president.ie/en/diary/details/president-higgins-appoints-mr-paul-burns-s.c-to-the-high-court . live .
  26. News: Reynolds . Paul . Man facing extradition over migrant deaths refused bail . 13 March 2021 . RTÉ News . 30 April 2020 . en . 17 September 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200917050934/https://www.rte.ie/news/courts/2020/0430/1135799-ronan-hughes-court/ . live .
  27. News: Dublin man to face trial over Kevin Lunney assault . 13 March 2021 . RTÉ News . 29 July 2020 . en . 7 January 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210107084717/https://www.rte.ie/news/2020/0729/1156309-lunney-assault-charges/ . live .
  28. News: O'Donnell . Orla . Court rejects French attempt to extradite Ian Bailey . 13 March 2021 . RTÉ News . 12 October 2020 . en . 21 March 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210321095716/https://www.rte.ie/news/courts/2020/1012/1170971-bailey-court/ . live .
  29. News: Teenager awarded €61,000 in damages after she was hit by car on way to school . 20 August 2022 . Irish Independent . en.
  30. News: Mother 'besieged' Cork University Hospital for help with son, court told . 20 August 2022 . BreakingNews.ie . en.
  31. News: O'Donnell . Orla . Deirdre Morley found not guilty by reason of insanity . 20 August 2022 . RTÉ News . 20 May 2021 . en.
  32. News: Businessman Jim Mansfield Junior granted legal aid by Special Criminal Court . 20 August 2022 . Irish Independent . en.
  33. News: Conviction declared a miscarriage of justice after 'grave defect' in administration by agents of State . 20 August 2022 . independent . en.

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Paul Burns (judge)".

Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2024, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.