Doherty to pay own costs for RefComm case

Scofflaw

Costs in the case Pearse Doherty took against the Referendum Commission have been split, with each side paying their own:

SINN Fein TD Pearse Doherty will have to pay his own legal costs for his unsuccessful challenge to statements by the Referendum Commission during the referendum on the Fiscal Treaty.

The Commission and Attorney General, who he brought the case against, will also have to pay their costs.

High Court judge Gerard Hogan found that while the SF Finance Spokesman had raised important issues in his action, he was not entitled to his costs on the grounds including that he had delayed in bringing his challenge.

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/courts/pearse-doherty-must-pay-his-own-legal-costs-high-court-3152395.html

Pretty much follows what everyone thought - the issue was important, the timing was grandstanding and an attempt at a last-minute PR stroke.

cordially,
Scofflaw

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Scofflaw wrote: »

Costs in the case Pearse Doherty took against the Referendum Commission have been split, with each side paying their own:

SINN Fein TD Pearse Doherty will have to pay his own legal costs for his unsuccessful challenge to statements by the Referendum Commission during the referendum on the Fiscal Treaty.

The Commission and Attorney General, who he brought the case against, will also have to pay their costs.

High Court judge Gerard Hogan found that while the SF Finance Spokesman had raised important issues in his action, he was not entitled to his costs on the grounds including that he had delayed in bringing his challenge.

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/courts/pearse-doherty-must-pay-his-own-legal-costs-high-court-3152395.html

Pretty much follows what everyone thought - the issue was important, the timing was grandstanding and an attempt at a last-minute PR stroke.

cordially,
Scofflaw

Why is he not paying the governments costs.
He took a case and lost.
Next thing we'll hear is that he used an allowance to pay the cost.

Onikage

Yaretzi Rapid Sea wrote: »

Next thing we'll hear is that he used an allowance to pay the cost.

...followed by claims that there is no specific rule against using travel expenses to pay legal costs for failed actions, no doubt?

seamus

Yaretzi Rapid Sea wrote: »

Why is he not paying the governments costs.

When a case against the state is considered to be of significant public importance and in the public interest (e.g. legitimately challenging the constitutionality of a particular law), then they make an application to have the costs covered by the state, whether they win or lose their case.

The general idea is that someone's means should not be a barrier to them bringing a legitimate case against the government which is in the interests of the whole population.