Annual Report 2016
Highlights
Civil cases:
o 21,898 personal injury suits filed – a 15% increase on 2015
o 157 cases in High Court Commercial List – a 6% increase on 2015
o 1,135 orders for possession – 47 in High Court, a 58% decrease on 2015, and 1,088 in Circuit Court, a 42% decrease on 2015
o 526 people adjudicated bankrupt in High Court – 28 on foot of applications by creditors and 498 by debtors (self adjudications) – a 12% increase on 2015 and a 17% increase on 2014
o 2,114 applications received in Circuit Court under the debt resolution mechanisms introduced by the Personal Insolvency Act, 2012 – a 22% increase on 2015 and a 125% increase on 2014
o 1,353 applications for judicial separation – a 4% decrease on 2015 – the majority in both Circuit Court (73%) and High Court (83%) by wives
o 4,179 applications for divorce – a 3% decrease on 2015 – the majority in both Circuit Court (57%) and High Court (59%) by wives
o 61 applications to dissolve partnerships in Circuit Court – the majority (66%) by females
o 15,227 applications to District Court under the domestic violence legislation – a 6% increase on 2015
o 9,991 child care applications – a 2% decrease on 2015
o 1,139 applications to appoint care representatives in Circuit Court – a 113% increase on 2015
Criminal cases:
o 60% of orders in District Court relate to road traffic offences – little change from 2015
o 7,800 orders in respect of drink driving offences – an 8% increase on 2015, and an 8% decrease on 2014
o 13,127 orders in respect of drugs offences in District Court – a 6% increase on 2015
o 28,368 orders in respect of public order offences in District Court – a 7% increase on 2015
o 47% of offences in Circuit Court relate to fraud/theft/robbery
o 93 trials in Central Criminal Court – a 27% increase on 2015 and a 48% increase on 2014
o murder convictions in respect of 17 offences in Central Criminal Court
o rape convictions in respect of 277 offences in Central Criminal Court
Court of Appeal:
o 924 new appeals – 591 civil and 333 criminal – little change from 2015
o 780 appeals disposed of – 451 civil and 329 criminal - a 6% increase on 2015
Supreme Court:
o 152 applications for leave to appeal – a 58% increase on 2015
o 38% of applications for leave to appeal granted