Mr Justice Michael Peart retires from Court of Appeal

“I’ve had a blast over the last 17 years. I’ve loved the work and I’ll miss it terribly.”

These were the words of Mr Justice Michael Peart as he bowed out of the Court of Appeal this morning.

Heartfelt tributes were paid to him this morning at the Four Courts with several speakers lamenting his loss, given his prodigious work output and unfailing courtesy, patience and erudition.

A judge is leaving the bench at the peak of his powers, and that is a cause of real sadness, the overflowing Court of Appeal heard this morning.

History

Mr Justice Peart made history as the first solicitor appointed to the High Court, by the then Minister for Justice Michael McDowell in 2002.

Law Society President Patrick Dorgan remarked that this elevation made him the best President the Law Society never had.

Patrick Dorgan continued that Justice Peart is a source of pride and inspiration to the solicitors’ profession.

Town agents

Mr Justice Peart was born into a distinguished legal family and the family practice, which he worked in before switching to the Bar, was among the best-known town agents in the country, with a wide and loyal network of practitioners around the country.

Many of these long-standing colleagues were at the Four Courts this morning to pay tribute.

Something of a prodigy, Michael Peart qualified as a solicitor at the young age of 20, following a BCL at UCD, and had to wait a few months until he turned 21 to be admitted to the Roll.

He took a leading role in the Education Committee at the Law Society and was instrumental in producing the Peart Report on the Future of Legal Education.

He attributed his subsequent switch to the Bar to his “somewhat restless nature”.  In his tribute on behalf of the Bar Council, Mícheál P O’Higgins SC noted that Michael Peart was so highly regarded that he didn’t have to do a crossover exam.

Two acquittals in one day

His career at the Bar was notable for achieving two acquittals in the Central Criminal Courts on the same day, those gathered heard.

His omniscient presence as a judge was noted with “hardly a list he didn’t appear on”.

Observers described his courtroom style as a model of courtesy, patience and erudition and though he was a proud solicitor, he was also very much the Bar’s friend.

Mr Justice Peart had an extraordinary appetite for hard work and early starts and late sittings were commonplace. Through it all, the humanity shone through.

Topics

After his appointment to the newly-launched Court of Appeal in 2014, Mr Justice Peart took to the work with relish and delivered judgments on a vast range of topics.

He was also notable on the bench for the way he embraced technology.

Justice Peart recalled this launch period as a time with a heavy workload when judges were tasked with dealing rapidly with an enormous volume of appeals. The challenges were met with collegiality and good humour, he said.

He will be remembered as one of the great judges of his generation, Court of Appeal President George Birmingham said.

Public service

Attorney General (AG) Seamus Woulfe thanked Mr Justice Peart on behalf of the government and the people of Ireland for his long and dutiful public service.

The AG said that Mr Justice Peart’s appointment as the first solicitor on the bench was an institution-changing moment.

He asked what was next for such a prodigious legal talent.

"That’s up to you,” Mr Justice Peart quipped from the bench.

He thanked those present and said “I will take all your flattery and compliments with sincere gratitude.”

Commended

He also commended those solicitors who serve on Law Society Committees, who give of their time on a voluntary basis for the good of the profession and their colleagues.

They are always happy to share that expertise, he noted, praising the Blackhall Place law school for turning out solicitors of an outstanding quality.

“It’s been a wonderful job,” he concluded. "I’m so happy to have had it, and to have solicitors always at my back.”