Nicholas Kearns facts for kids

Nicholas Kearns (born December 4, 1946) is a retired Irish judge. He held important roles in Ireland's legal system. He was the President of the High Court from 2009 to 2015. Before that, he served as a judge in both the High Court and the Supreme Court.

Early Life and Education

Nicholas Kearns was born in Dublin, Ireland, in 1946. He went to St Mary's College, Dublin for his schooling. Later, he studied at University College Dublin. He also attended the King's Inns, which is a place where lawyers train. He earned a special diploma in European law from UCD.

Becoming a Lawyer

Kearns became a lawyer in Ireland in 1968. He also qualified to practice law in England and Wales in 1981. In 1982, he became a senior counsel. This means he was a very experienced lawyer. His main work involved cases about personal injuries.

Serving as a Judge

Nicholas Kearns had a long and important career as a judge. He served in different high-level courts in Ireland.

High Court Judge

He was first appointed as a High Court judge in 1998. The High Court deals with serious legal cases. He also helped start the Association of European Competition Law Judges. This group helps judges who work on laws about fair competition.

From 2000 to 2009, he was a special judge for the European Court of Human Rights. This court helps protect human rights across Europe.

In 2004, he led the Referendum Commission. This group gives information to people before they vote in a referendum. This particular referendum was about changing the Constitution of Ireland.

He also led the Special Criminal Court and the former Court of Criminal Appeal. These courts handle serious criminal cases and appeals.

Supreme Court Judge

In 2004, Nicholas Kearns was promoted to the Supreme Court of Ireland. The Supreme Court is the highest court in Ireland. It hears appeals from other courts.

Leading the High Court

In October 2009, he became the President of the High Court. This is a very important leadership role. He retired from this position in 2015. He chose to retire early to spend more time with his family.

Important Case: Doherty v. Ireland

In 2010, Justice Kearns heard an important case called Doherty v. Ireland. This case was brought by Pearse Doherty, a politician. He wanted to know why a special election, called a by-election, was not being held. The election was for a vacant seat in Donegal South-West.

The seat had been empty since June 2009. Justice Kearns ruled that the delay in holding the by-election was too long. He said it was "unprecedented" and went against people's constitutional rights. He explained that elections should happen within a reasonable time.

He stated that the ongoing delay "offends the terms and spirit of the Constitution." Even though he didn't order the government to set a date, they announced the by-election would be held soon after his ruling. Pearse Doherty later won that election.

After His Judicial Career

After retiring as a judge, Nicholas Kearns continued to work in public service.

In 2017, he was chosen to lead the Personal Injuries Commission. This group looked at how personal injury claims are handled in Ireland.

He also became the deputy chairperson of the National Maternity Hospital, Dublin in 2015. He is also a trustee for the Gate Theatre, a famous theatre in Dublin.

Personal Life

Nicholas Kearns is married to Eleanor Kearns. They got married in 1978. They have four sons together.