How to address a Judge?

Red Hare · 19-06-2020 01:13PM #1

In the High Court is the Judge to be addressed as " your honour" ?
If not what is she or he to be address as?

thanks

KevRossi · 19-06-2020 01:14PM

Judge or Your Honour

TheBoyConor · 19-06-2020 01:14PM

Judge or Justice, or possibly Breitheamh

"your Honour" is only an americanism, will only piss them off. You want to avoid that.

punisher5112 · 19-06-2020 01:16PM

Yes judge or no judge.

If nervous they'll understand but it will always help to look at them and give eye contact and at least say hello and bye or thank you.

LegallyAbroad · 19-06-2020 01:24PM

"Judge" or "A Bhreitheamh". That's it.

Do not call them "Your Honour".

TheBoyConor · 19-06-2020 02:42PM

That's it. When your on the stand you say "yes judge" or "no judge" and whatever else your legal advisors tell you to say, and you say feck all else.

Would "a breitheamh" come across as being a bit of a smart arse Gaeilgoir? I'd be inclined to stick with Judge.

Seth Brundle · 19-06-2020 02:45PM

Maybe not this way...

Dublinensis · 19-06-2020 02:52PM

The official English-language forms of address are "Judge" (for where you might say "Sir" or "Madam" if you were talking to someone else) and "the Court" (sort of a more elevated form of "you").

As in: "yes, Judge, I'll be sure to do that" or "perhaps the Court could turn to tab 3 of the booklet".

It used to be "My Lord" and "Your Lordship", which some lawyers still occasionally use. These are best avoided: some judges like them but some very much don't.

Do not call a High Court judge "your honour" or "justice". Only Circuit Court judges are officially styled (in writing) as "His Honour" or "Her Honour" and even they should not be addressed as "your honour" orally.

Marcusm · 19-06-2020 03:46PM

"Your honour" is Anna Manahan (Mrs Cadogan) in the Irish RM, generally spoken in a manner whether it is questionable as to whether any honoiur is respected.

How to address a Judge?

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