Tony O'Connor (judge) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Tony O'Connor
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O'Connor in 2015
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| Judge of the High Court | |
| Assumed office 1 October 2015 |
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| Nominated by | Government of Ireland |
| Appointed by | Michael D. Higgins |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Swinford, County Mayo, Ireland |
| Education | Glenstal Abbey School |
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Tony O'Connor is an Irish judge. He has been a judge in the High Court since October 2015. Before becoming a judge, he worked as a lawyer. He first worked as a solicitor, helping businesses with legal issues. Later, he became a barrister, arguing cases in court.
Early Life and Education
Tony O'Connor comes from a family of lawyers in Swinford, County Mayo. His father and grandfather ran a law firm there. His three brothers are also lawyers. One brother, Pat, works in the family firm. Another brother, John, is also a judge in a different court called the Circuit Court.
Tony O'Connor went to Glenstal Abbey School. After that, he studied law at several universities. These included University College Dublin, Trinity College Dublin, the Law Society of Ireland, and the King's Inns.
Legal Career
Tony O'Connor started his legal career as a solicitor in 1983. He worked for different law firms, including Arthur Cox Solicitors. He also worked as a legal advisor for Aer Lingus, an airline company. His main areas of law were about how businesses compete fairly and how companies join together. He even wrote a book about competition law in 1996.
In 1991, he became a barrister. This meant he could represent people and argue cases in court. He became a senior barrister in 2006. He worked on many types of cases. These included cases about people's rights, business disagreements, and European Union law. He also helped people who were injured.
He became a trained mediator in 2009. A mediator helps people solve problems without going to court. He also led groups that heard appeals about aviation (air travel) and mental health. From 2007, he helped medical groups like the Medical Council with their hearings.
Tony O'Connor was also a member of the board for Concern Worldwide. This is a charity that helps people in need around the world.
Judicial Career
Tony O'Connor became a judge in the High Court in October 2015. As a High Court judge, he hears many different kinds of cases. These include cases about taxes, business disagreements, and personal injuries. He also hears cases about people being sent to other countries for legal reasons.
In 2015, Judge O'Connor heard a case about a truck driver. This driver was accused by Greek authorities of having illegal cigarettes. The Greek authorities said the driver owed a lot of money. Judge O'Connor sent the case to the European Court of Justice to get their opinion. In 2018, he decided that the Irish tax office could not collect the money for the Greek authorities.
In 2018, he made a ruling in a serious case. He said that a law used to convict a person was against European Union law. This decision was then reviewed by the Supreme Court of Ireland.
Judge O'Connor is also on the board of the Courts Service. This group helps to manage the courts in Ireland.
In 2020, he was part of a special group of three judges. This group looked into issues related to the CervicalCheck cancer scandal. He continued to hear cases in the High Court while working on this group.
In 2022, Judge O'Connor helped to make clear how certain European Union rules apply. Also in 2022, he awarded money to a factory worker who had been injured at work.
