Michael Peart (judge)

Michael Peart
Judge of the Court of Appeal
In office
24 October 2014 – 25 October 2019
Nominated byGovernment of Ireland
Appointed byMichael D. Higgins
Judge of the High Court
In office
21 June 2002 – 24 October 2014
Nominated byGovernment of Ireland
Appointed byMary McAleese
Personal details
BornSandymount, Dublin, Ireland
Alma mater

Michael Peart is a retired Irish judge who served as a Judge of the Court of Appeal from 2014 to 2019 and a Judge of the High Court from 2002 to 2014.

Early life

Peart attended Glenstal Abbey[1] and obtained a BCL degree from University College Dublin.[2] Following his education at the Law Society of Ireland, he was admitted as a solicitor in 1970.[3] He worked at Pearts Solicitors with a speciality in litigation.[4] He represented Bula Mines in litigation against Tara Mine which frequently reached the Supreme Court of Ireland.[1] He is a bencher of the King's Inns.

Judicial career

He was appointed a High Court judge in 2002.[5] He was the first Solicitor appointed to the High Court.[3] He presided over cases in the High Court involving criminal law, judicial review, personal injuries, immigration law and commercial law.[5]

Peart became a Judge of the Court of Appeal in October 2014 upon its establishment.[6] In the Court of Appeal, he delivered judgments on appeals involving defamation,[7] judicial review,[8] land law,[9] criminal law,[10] discovery,[11] and professional misconduct.[12] He chaired a committee to reform legal education of solicitors in Ireland through the Law Society of Ireland, which presented its findings in 2018.[13] He retired in October 2019 in advance of his seventieth birthday.[4]

References

  1. ^ a b Coulter, Carol. "Nine new judges named include a solicitor". The Irish Times. Retrieved 8 December 2019.
  2. ^ "'I've had a blast over the last 17 years' – Justice Michael Peart retires from Court of Appeal". www.lawsociety.ie. Archived from the original on 17 November 2019. Retrieved 8 December 2019.
  3. ^ a b "First solicitor appointed to the High Court retires after 17 years on the bench". Irish Legal News. 28 October 2019. Archived from the original on 8 December 2019. Retrieved 8 December 2019.
  4. ^ a b Carolan, Mary (25 October 2019). "Tributes paid as first solicitor appointed as High Court judge reluctantly retires". The Irish Times. Archived from the original on 29 October 2019. Retrieved 8 December 2019.
  5. ^ a b "Appointments to the Court of Appeal". Irish Government News Service. Archived from the original on 28 April 2016. Retrieved 8 December 2019.
  6. ^ "Lawyers shun judges' jobs due to pay and pension cuts". Irish Independent. 2 October 2014. Archived from the original on 30 December 2015. Retrieved 16 January 2016.
  7. ^ "Ex-GAA star was defamed in swingers article, Court of Appeal rules". The Irish Times. Archived from the original on 15 May 2019. Retrieved 8 December 2019.
  8. ^ "State Examinations Commission and Minister win limited appeal against Rebecca Carter judgement". www.irishexaminer.com. 29 May 2019. Archived from the original on 8 December 2019. Retrieved 8 December 2019.
  9. ^ "Court of Appeal: Farmer's son entitled to promised farmland but not €150,000 legacy". Irish Legal News. Archived from the original on 8 December 2019. Retrieved 8 December 2019.
  10. ^ "South East man who raped woman and left her with life-changing injuries loses appeal". www.waterfordlive.ie. Archived from the original on 8 December 2019. Retrieved 8 December 2019.
  11. ^ "Stockbroker Davy told no obligation to release inquiry reports". The Irish Times. Archived from the original on 8 June 2019. Retrieved 8 December 2019.
  12. ^ "Solicitor fails in appeal against professional misconduct ruling". Irish Legal News. Archived from the original on 8 December 2019. Retrieved 8 December 2019.
  13. ^ Gleeson, Colin (21 November 2018). "New measures to increase access to law jobs for the disadvantaged". The Irish Times. Archived from the original on 24 October 2020. Retrieved 8 December 2019.