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Court sittings scaled back

The Courts Service is scaling back hearings from today (Friday 13 March), with mitigating measures in place to reduce the numbers attending courts. 

Court offices – including High Court offices dealing with probate of wills and wards of court – will remain open and function as normal. 

The District Court will remain open throughout the country but, in response to Government directions to minimise social contact, work will be scaled scale back to deal with urgent matters only. Non-urgent matters will be adjourned to future dates. 

To have cases adjourned: 

• People with legal representation are asked to instruct their solicitors to seek an adjournment. They do not need to attend court, and their solicitor will advise them of their next date in court, 
• People who do not have legal representation should come to court, and can then ask to have their case adjourned,
• Video conferencing will be available for use for custody hearings. 
• Family law and child-protection cases will continue as normal. 

Circuit Criminal Courts 

No new trials will commence in the Circuit Criminal Courts for the next two weeks. Urgent applications can be made to the court. 

Criminal trials that have commenced will continue, and jurors in these cases are required to continue attending. 

People summoned to attend for jury duty in the Circuit Criminal Court, during the next two weeks are not required to attend. 

All Circuit Court civil and family law matters are generally to continue as normal. Please check www.courts.ie for any local variations or notices. 

The Circuit Family Law Courts will, on a temporary basis, in an effort to reduce the numbers attending call-overs, accept consent adjournment applications by email, provided the court is satisfied that all parties are consenting and are in agreement. 

The mailbox to be used for Dublin is dublincircuitfamilylaw@courts.ie.

Practitioners outside Dublin should email their local Courts Service office. 

High Court 

High Court civil lists are to continue as normal. Please check www.courts.ie for any specific variations or notices. 

The Cork personal injuries list of cases for trial in Cork commencing on 16 March has been adjourned.

Cases will automatically take their place in the next session. Applications in respect of urgent matters may be made in the Dublin Personal Injuries list. 

Central Criminal Courts 

Trials in the Central Criminal Courts that have commenced will continue, and jurors in these cases are required to continue attending. 

No new trials will commence in the Central Criminal Courts for the next two weeks. Urgent applications can be made to the court. 

People summoned to attend for jury duty in the Central Criminal Court during the next two weeks are not required to attend. 

Supreme Court and Court of Appeal 

The Supreme Court and the Court of Appeal will continue as usual – with the Court of Appeal staggering the calling of lists to minimise the numbers in court at the same time. 

Specific arrangements for individual courts may, and will, change daily, and court users are reminded to check www.courts.ie for updates.  

Meanwhile, the Law Society will continue to follow official Government advice.

Blackhall Place

The offices in Blackhall Place and George’s Court will continue to remain open, and the Law Society business continuity team has taken measures to ensure there will be minimal disruption to Law Society operations and services during this time.

Events at Blackhall Place have been cancelled until further notice.  Diplomas and CPD events will be provided online. The first month of the scheduled PPC 2 will take place in an online format.