| Topic:
|
Appeals
|
|
Court:
|
Supreme
|
|
Category:
|
Civil
|
ARCHIVE:
|
2002 - 2014
|
Related link
Current data
The Supreme Court is Ireland’s highest court of appeal. Under its new constitutional jurisdiction it hears appeals on arguable points of law of general public importance or where it determines that the interests of justice warrant an appeal to it. It thus concentrates on the cases of the greatest significance.
The Supreme Court made very significant additional inroads in its legacy backlog during 2015 and has continued the proactive management of its total caseload under the direction of the Chief Justice.
The court's list is in transition. In parallel with the legacy appeal position applications for leave to appeal under its new jurisdiction were filed in increasing numbers during each successive quarter of 2015.
The court disposed of 447 legacy appeals during 2015. In addition, 96 new applications for leave were filed. It determined 28 applications under Article 64 of the Constitution (transitional provisions - transferred appeals) and 43 applications for leave to appeal. The outstanding balance of new applications at year end is the result of the increased numbers of applications received in the final quarter and the minimum time required to consider and determine an application for leave.
The bulk of priority legacy appeals had been disposed of by the end of the year. It is anticipated that the total legacy appeal caseload will have been disposed of by end 2016, subject to the level of new jurisdiction applications which the court receives during 2016.
The court continues to sit in two panels to deal with new and legacy appeals and in addition the Chief Justice assigns applications for leave under the new jurisdiction to panels to assure the speedy determination of these applications. New applications and appeals continue to be subject to case management procedures to assure their just and efficient disposal.
Civil and commercial litigious cases:
Year: 2014
|
Incoming
|
Resolved
|
|
(a) from the High Court (to 28 October)
|
456
|
708
|
|
(b) from the Court of Appeal (from 28 October)
|
0
|
0
|
|
(c) from the High Court (from 28 October)
|
2
|
0
|
(a) from the High Court (to 28 October):
Year: 2014
|
Incoming
|
Resolved
|
|
|
|
in court
|
out of court
|
case type
|
|
determined
|
withdrawn
|
withdrawn
|
|
Article 40/Habeas Corpus
|
17
|
24
|
1
|
1
|
|
Bail
|
27
|
23
|
4
|
4
|
|
Chancery
|
70
|
65
|
4
|
8
|
|
Commercial
|
42
|
49
|
0
|
6
|
|
Company
|
7
|
11
|
0
|
1
|
|
Contract
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
|
Criminal
|
2
|
8
|
0
|
0
|
|
Extradition
|
9
|
9
|
0
|
0
|
|
Family
|
7
|
11
|
1
|
0
|
|
Insolvency (corporate)
|
3
|
6
|
0
|
2
|
|
Insolvency (personal)
|
10
|
4
|
0
|
0
|
|
Judicial review (asylum related)
|
11
|
21
|
2
|
8
|
|
Judicial review (other)
|
58
|
99
|
3
|
8
|
|
Personal injury
|
34
|
47
|
6
|
15
|
|
Plenary
|
46
|
41
|
4
|
4
|
|
Proceeds of Crime Act
|
4
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
|
Security for costs
|
0
|
4
|
0
|
0
|
|
Summary judgment
|
31
|
16
|
0
|
2
|
|
Other
|
78
|
143
|
13
|
29
|
|
Total:
|
456
|
582
|
38
|
88
|
(c) from the High Court (from 28 October):
Year: 2014
|
Incoming
|
Resolved
|
|
|
in court
|
out of court
|
Case type
|
|
allow
|
dismiss
|
other
|
withdrawn
|
other
|
|
Matter of general public importance
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
|
Matter in interests of justice
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
|
Total:
|
2
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
Other:
|
2014
|
|
Transferred to the Court of Appeal by direction of the Chief Justice
|
1,355
|
|
Appeals from appellants in person
|
141
|
|
Length of appeal hearing: one day or less
|
142
|
|
Length of appeal hearing: 2 days or more
|
27
|
Appeals received:
|
2013
|
2012
|
Appeal against:
|
interim
order
|
final
order
|
interim
order
|
final
order
|
|
Judicial review
|
6
|
71
|
22
|
61
|
|
Chancery
|
46
|
57
|
25
|
39
|
|
Summary judgment
|
-
|
32
|
-
|
64
|
|
Commercial
|
25
|
16
|
25
|
25
|
|
Personal injury
|
-
|
34
|
-
|
45
|
|
Asylum (judicial review)
|
4
|
20
|
14
|
23
|
|
Common law
|
21
|
-
|
30
|
-
|
|
Bail
|
-
|
11
|
|
|
|
Non jury
|
20
|
34
|
|
|
Other appeals received:
|
2013
|
2012
|
|
Companies Act
|
9
|
9
|
|
Other
|
218
|
213
|
Appeals disposed of:
|
2013
|
2012
|
Appeals against:
|
interim
order
|
final
order
|
interim
order
|
final
order
|
|
Judicial review
|
3
|
38
|
6
|
47
|
|
Chancery
|
9
|
17
|
3
|
13
|
|
Summary judgment
|
-
|
5
|
|
|
|
Commercial
|
11
|
10
|
5
|
17
|
|
Personal injury
|
-
|
28
|
1
|
10
|
|
Asylum (judicial review)
|
1
|
13
|
2
|
6
|
|
Common law
|
22
|
0
|
|
|
|
Bail
|
-
|
7
|
-
|
8
|
|
Non jury
|
5
|
6
|
10
|
13
|
Other appeals disposed of:
|
2013
|
2012
|
|
Companies Acts
|
4
|
|
|
Other
|
101
|
61
|
Year
|
Received
|
Disposed of
by the court
|
Withdrawn
in the office
|
Total
disposed of
|
|
2013
|
558
|
249
|
46
|
295
|
|
2012
|
605
|
202
|
53
|
255
|
|
2011
|
499
|
190
|
68
|
258
|
|
2010
|
466
|
233
|
76
|
309
|
|
2009
|
499
|
228
|
113
|
341
|
|
2008
|
443
|
229
|
105
|
334
|
|
2007
|
373
|
229
|
47
|
276
|
|
2006
|
484
|
202
|
35
|
237
|
|
2005
|
446
|
211
|
33
|
244
|
|
2004
|
531
|
722*
|
76
|
798
|
|
2003
|
440
|
261
|
50
|
311
|
|
2002
|
415
|
324
|
99
|
321
|
|
* 432 of these appeals were disposed of in a review of
uncertified appeals list.
|
Outcome of appeals disposed of by the court:
|
2011
|
2010
|
2009
|
2008
|
|
Appeal dismissed: High Court order affirmed
|
75
|
122
|
100
|
125
|
|
Appeal allowed: High Court order set aside
|
31
|
18
|
35
|
41
|
|
Appeal allowed: High Court order varied
|
10
|
22
|
27
|
14
|
|
Appeal struck out certified and uncertified
|
68
|
66
|
65
|
46
|
|
Cases stated determined
|
5
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
|
Referred to Europe
|
1
|
2
|
1
|
1
|
|
No jurisdiction
|
0
|
2
|
0
|
2
|
|
Total:
|
190
|
233
|
228
|
230
|
Length of appeal hearing:
|
2013
|
2012
|
2011
|
2010
|
2009
|
|
One day or less
|
112
|
90
|
188
|
207
|
181
|
|
Two days or more
|
16
|
21
|
28
|
26
|
27
|
Appeals from appellants in person:*
Year
|
Received
|
% of total
|
|
2013
|
130
|
|
|
2012
|
158
|
26%
|
|
2011
|
88
|
18%
|
|
2010
|
70
|
15%
|
|
2009
|
76
|
15%
|
|
2008
|
71
|
16%
|
|
2007
|
49
|
13.1%
|
|
2006
|
57
|
11.78%
|
|
2005
|
30
|
6.73%
|
|
2004
|
37
|
6.97%
|
|
2003
|
32
|
7.27%
|
|
2002
|
45
|
10.84%
|
|
*not legally represented
|