Adrian Hardiman facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Adrian Hardiman
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| Judge of the Supreme Court | |
| In office 7 February 2000 – 7 March 2016 |
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| Nominated by | Government of Ireland |
| Appointed by | Mary McAleese |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 21 May 1951 Coolock, Dublin, Ireland |
| Died | 7 March 2016 (aged 64) Portobello, Dublin, Ireland |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 3 |
| Education | Belvedere College |
| Alma mater |
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Adrian Hardiman (born 21 May 1951 – died 7 March 2016) was an important Irish judge. He worked on the Supreme Court, which is the highest court in the country, from 2000 until 2016.
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Growing Up and Learning
Adrian Hardiman was born on 21 May 1951, in Coolock, Dublin. His father was a teacher and also the President of the Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland (ASTI). This group represents secondary school teachers in Ireland.
Adrian went to Belvedere College in Dublin for his schooling. Later, he studied history at University College Dublin (UCD) and then law at the King's Inns. While at UCD, he was the president of the Student Representative Council. He was also the leader (called "Auditor") of the Literary and Historical Society, a famous debating club. In 1973, he won The Irish Times National Debating Championship, showing his strong debating skills.
His Family Life
Adrian Hardiman was married to Judge Yvonne Murphy. She is from County Donegal and was also a judge. She worked in the Circuit Court, which handles many types of legal cases, from 1998 to 2012. She has also led a special group (called a "Commission of Investigation") that looked into past issues at places like "Mother and Baby homes."
Justice Hardiman and Judge Murphy had three sons. One son, Eoin, is a lawyer (called a barrister). Another son, Hugh, worked as a personal assistant for Michael McDowell when he was the Minister for Justice. Their third son, Daniel, is a doctor.
His Time in Politics
Adrian Hardiman was involved with the Fine Gael political party for a while. Later, when he was a student at University College Dublin, he joined the Fianna Fáil party. He even ran for local elections in Dún Laoghaire in 1985, but he did not win.
In 1985, he helped start a new political party called the Progressive Democrats. However, he left this party when he was chosen to be a judge on the Supreme Court. He remained good friends with Michael McDowell, who was a leader of the Progressive Democrats and also his best man at his wedding.
His Legal Career
Adrian Hardiman became a lawyer (called a barrister) in Ireland in 1974. He was very successful, especially in cases about criminal law and defamation (when someone's reputation is harmed by false statements).
In 2000, he received a special honor. He was appointed directly from being a barrister to serving on the Supreme Court. This is Ireland's highest court, and it's rare for someone to join it without first being a judge in a lower court.
After his death in 2016, President Michael D. Higgins said that Justice Hardiman was "one of the great legal minds of his generation." He also said that Hardiman was "always committed to helping the public." The Chief Justice, Susan Denham, called him a "colossus of the legal world," meaning he was a very important and respected figure in law.
Important Court Decisions
Justice Hardiman wrote many important decisions during his time on the Supreme Court. He also took turns leading the Court of Criminal Appeal, which reviews decisions from criminal trials. Here are some examples of the important cases he worked on:
Cases from 2007
- O'Callaghan -v- Judge Mahon: In this case, he disagreed with the majority. He believed that a special investigation group (called a Tribunal of Inquiry) should not continue looking into certain people. He felt that continuing would not be fair.
- Shortt -v- The Commissioner of An Garda Síochána: He helped decide to greatly increase the money given to a man who was wrongly put in prison. This happened because police officers had made up evidence against him.
Cases from 2006
- D.P.P. -v- Anthony Barnes: This case helped to explain and update the law about self-defense in burglary cases.
- N -v- Health Service Executive: This case was about when a parent can change their mind after agreeing to an adoption.
- A. -v- The Governor of Arbour Hill Prison: This case looked at whether a prisoner could challenge if their detention was legal.
Cases from 2003
- Lobe -v- Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform: This case was about whether the Irish government could send away parents of Irish children who were still young. The court decided that the parents could be sent away.
Cases from 2002
- Dunne -v- D.P.P.: This was one of several cases that looked at how police (the Garda Síochána) must find and keep evidence that is important for a criminal trial.
His Passing
Adrian Hardiman passed away on 7 March 2016, when he was 64 years old. His funeral was held in Dublin. Michael McDowell gave a speech at the funeral. He said that Adrian was an amazing husband, father, grandfather, and a very smart thinker. He was also a loyal friend to many.
Many important people attended the funeral to show their respect. These included President Michael D. Higgins and his wife, the US Ambassador Kevin O'Malley, and Chief Justice Susan Denham. Other politicians and public figures also signed a book to share their condolences.
After his death, the other judges of the Supreme Court released a long statement. They recognized all the important things Adrian Hardiman had done for the court system and for Ireland.
See Also
- List of judges of the Supreme Court of Ireland
