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Are district courts open for public viewing?

  • 21-10-2020 12:21pm
    #1
    Eleven Benevolent Elephants
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 426 ✭✭


    I don't know if attendance is restricted to just the defendant and their legal representatives because of covid.

    My local one (Swords) appears open most morings. I rotate between morning and evening shifts and I'm curious to see what happens.

    Can I just walk in? Do I have to wear a tin of fruit or my Sunday best?


Comments

  • #2
    CIARAN_BOYLE
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 14,599 ✭✭✭✭CIARAN_BOYLE


    Usually you can just walk in. I believe its restricted due to covid atm though.


  • #3
    Eleven Benevolent Elephants
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 426 ✭✭Eleven Benevolent Elephants


    CIARAN_BOYLE wrote: »
    Usually you can just walk in. I believe its restricted due to covid atm though.

    Do defendants not have a right to witnesses in the courtroom?


  • #4
    coylemj
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 25,704 ✭✭✭✭coylemj


    Eleven Benevolent Elephants wrote: »
    Do defendants not have a right to witnesses in the courtroom?

    By 'restricted' the poster who responded probably means that the number of people allowed in the courtroom are restricted, based on the floor area of the court and the ability for people to observe social distancing.

    Unless you get an answer specific to Swords, there is no general answer to your question. It's going to depend on the whim of the local judge and/or what the local court clerk decides.

    On dress, there is no set code. The worst that can happen is that the judge chucks you out because you have an offensive slogan on a t-shirt or something like that. How you behave is more important than what you wear. Have your phone muted, do not make or receive phone calls and do not attempt to make an audio or video recording. You can talk to the person next to you but in a very low voice so that there is no possibility of the judge hearing you.


  • #5
    Peregrinus
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 27,260 ✭✭✭✭Peregrinus


    Eleven Benevolent Elephants wrote: »
    Do defendants not have a right to witnesses in the courtroom?
    Justice must be administered in public, but the defendant has no particular right to select which members of the public will be admitted, if space is limited.

    Having said that, in practice I think they would be facilitated. I was once asked to give up my seat in a crowded court for the defendant's wife, for instance.


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