Isobel Kennedy facts for kids

Isobel Kennedy is a top Irish judge. Since November 2018, she has served on the Court of Appeal, one of Ireland's most important courts.

Before this, she was a judge on the High Court from 2015 to 2018. She also led the Referendum Commission in 2018, which helps explain important national votes to the public.

Early Life and Legal Career

Isobel Kennedy grew up in Limerick, Ireland. She studied law at University College Cork and graduated in 1986. Two years later, in 1988, she became a barrister. A barrister is a type of lawyer who represents people in court.

She became an expert in criminal law and constitutional law. Constitutional law deals with the rules of how a country is run. In 2003, she was given the title of senior counsel, which is a special rank for experienced and skilled barristers.

During her time as a lawyer, she was part of a group that investigated how children were treated in certain institutions.

Becoming a Judge

In February 2015, Isobel Kennedy was appointed as a judge to the High Court. This is a very high-level court in Ireland. She was chosen for the job by the government after a special selection process.

She also served as a judge on the Special Criminal Court. This court handles very serious cases.

In November 2018, she was promoted to the Court of Appeal. When she and another female judge, Caroline Costello, joined at the same time, it was a special moment. It was the first time an Irish court had an equal number of male and female judges.

Leading National Votes

In 2018, Kennedy was the head of the Referendum Commission. A referendum is a national vote where all citizens can decide on a change to the country's constitution, or main set of rules.

She was in charge of two important referendums:

• A vote on changing the country's laws about pregnancy.
• A vote on removing the law against blasphemy (showing disrespect for religion) from the constitution.

The vote on pregnancy laws had a very high number of people participating. After the votes, Kennedy suggested that a permanent group, called an Electoral Commission, should be created to manage future elections and referendums.

Today, she also helps the School of Law at the University of Limerick by serving on its advisory committee.