Number 11 of 1964.

COURTS ACT, 1964

ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS

Number 11 of 1964.

COURTS ACT, 1964

Interpretation.

1.—In this Act—

“the Act of 1961” means the Courts (Supplemental Provisions) Act, 1961;

“the Minister” means the Minister for Justice.

Number of ordinary judges of Circuit Court.

2.—(1) The number of ordinary judges of the Circuit Court shall not be more than nine.

(2) Section 16 of the Act of 1961 is hereby repealed.

Alteration of circuits.

3.—(1) The Government may from time to time, if they so think fit, by order—

(a) alter the composition of a circuit (other than the Dublin Circuit and the Cork Circuit) by adding to or removing from the circuit a county or counties or a county borough or county boroughs or a county or counties and a county borough or county boroughs, and

(b) where appropriate, attach to the circuit a name by which the circuit shall be known in substitution for its existing name.

(2) Before making an order under this section the Government, acting through the Minister, shall consult with the President of the Circuit Court and the judges of the Circuit Court (if any) permanently assigned to the circuits to which the order will relate.

(3) (a) An order under this section may make provision for the continuation and completion of any business transacted in a circuit to which the order relates which is initiated before the commencement of the order and is not completed before such commencement.

(b) For the purposes of this subsection, business transacted in the Circuit Court shall be regarded as being initiated on the day on which the civil bill or other originating document relating to it is issued.

Assignment of judge to circuit in certain circumstances.

4.—(1) Notwithstanding paragraph (a) of subsection (2) of section 20 of the Act of 1961, where, at any time when there are two judges permanently assigned to the Dublin Circuit and there is a judge permanently assigned to each other circuit and there is no judge who is not permanently assigned to a circuit, a judge is appointed, such judge may be permanently assigned to any circuit by the Government in place of a judge who ceases to be permanently assigned to that circuit and, pending such assignment, may from time to time be temporarily assigned to any circuit by the President of the Circuit Court.

(2) Where a judge is permanently assigned to a circuit, the Government, at his request, may, if they so think fit, terminate his permanent assignment to that circuit and the judge may at any time thereafter be permanently assigned to any circuit by the Government and, pending such assignment, may from time to time be temporarily assigned to any circuit by the President of the Circuit Court but at any time there shall not be more than one judge who is not permanently assigned to a circuit.

(3) Where a judge is temporarily assigned, under subsection (1) or (2) of this section, to a circuit, then such judge shall, while so temporarily assigned, have, in relation to such circuit and concurrently with any judge permanently assigned thereto and any judge who is temporarily assigned, under section 10 of the Courts of Justice Act, 1947, as applied by section 48 of the Act of 1961 to such circuit, all the privileges, powers and duties for the time being conferred or imposed by law on a judge permanently assigned to such circuit.

(4) In this section “judge” means judge of the Circuit Court.

Vacations of justices of District Court.

5.—The times at which justices of the District Court may take vacations shall be such times as may be approved of by the Minister.

Transfer of trials in criminal cases by judges of Circuit Court.

6.—(1) Subject to subsections (2) and (3) of this section, where a person (in this section referred to as an accused) charged with an indictable offence is sent forward for trial to the Circuit Court, an application by the Attorney General or the accused to the judge of the Circuit Court before whom the accused is triable to have the trial transferred to the Central Criminal Court shall—

(a) in case the party making the application, not less than seven days before making it, notified the accused or the Attorney General, as the case may be, of the application, be granted, and

(b) in any other case, in the discretion of the judge, be either granted or refused, and the decision to grant or refuse the application shall be final and unappealable.

(2) Where—

(a) two or more accused are sent forward for trial to the Circuit Court and it is proposed to try them together, and

(b) an application by one or more, but not all, of the accused under subsection (1) of this section is granted,

an application, without notice to the accused, by the Attorney General to the judge who granted the application aforesaid to have the trial of one or more of the remaining accused transferred to the Central Criminal Court shall be granted.

(3) Where there are less than seven days between the date on which an accused is sent forward for trial and the date of the commencement of the trial, an application under subsection (1) of this section in relation to the trial shall be granted.

(4) Section 54 of the Courts of Justice Act, 1924, and subsection (8) of section 34 of the Finance Act, 1963, are hereby repealed.

Service of court documents by post.

7.—(1) In this section—

“Circuit Court document” means any document by which proceedings in the Circuit Court (including appeals from the District Court) are instituted and any other document relating to civil proceedings in the Circuit Court which is a notice, order or witness summons;

“District Court document” means any document by which proceedings in the District Court (other than proceedings by way of summons in which the complainant is a member of the Garda Síochána, a Minister of State, an officer of such a Minister, the Attorney General or an officer of the Revenue Commissioners or proceedings under the School Attendance Acts, 1926 and 1936) are instituted and a witness summons relating to such proceedings.

(2) This section shall apply in relation to the service of Circuit Court documents and District Court documents in any area whenever and so long as no summons server stands assigned to that area by the County Registrar for the county in which the area is situate.

(3) Service of a Circuit Court document or a District Court document may be effected by sending a copy of the document by registered prepaid post in an envelope addressed to the person to be served at his last known residence or place of business in the State and the document may be posted by the person on whose behalf it purports to be issued or a person authorised by him in that behalf.

(4) Service of a Circuit Court document or a District Court document upon a person pursuant to subsection (3) of this section shall, upon proof that the envelope containing a copy of the document was addressed, registered and posted in accordance with the provisions of that subsection, be deemed to be good service upon the person unless it is proved that such copy was not delivered.

(5) (a) Where—

(i) a person upon whom it is proposed to effect service of a document pursuant to subsection (3) of this section is outside the State or his whereabouts are unknown and cannot be ascertained by reasonable inquiries, or

(ii) an envelope containing a copy of a document intended to be served upon a person pursuant to the said subsection (3) is sent to the person by registered post and returned undelivered to the sender,

the Circuit Court or District Court, as may be appropriate, may make such order for substituted service or for the substitution for service of notice by advertisement or otherwise as it may think proper.

(b) The power conferred on the Circuit Court and District Court by this subsection is without prejudice to any other power of those Courts to make orders for substituted service or for the substitution for service of notice by advertisement or otherwise.

(c) In this subsection “substituted service” means service otherwise than by a summons server or pursuant to subsection (3) of this section.

(6) (a) Where service of a document on a person is effected by sending a copy thereof by registered prepaid post in an envelope addressed to the person pursuant to subsection (3) of this section—

(i) the document shall be deemed to be served upon the person at the time at which the envelope would be delivered in the ordinary course of post,

(ii) the document shall be deemed to be issued at the time at which the envelope is posted,

(iii) the addressing, registering and posting, in accordance with the provisions of subsection (3) of this section, of the envelope may be proved by a statutory declaration (which shall be endorsed upon the original document and shall be made, not earlier than ten days after the day on which the envelope is posted, by the person who posted the envelope) exhibiting the certificate of posting of the envelope aforesaid and stating, if it be the case, that the original document was duly stamped at the time of posting and that the envelope has not been returned undelivered to the sender, and

(iv) the time, date and place of posting of the envelope shall be endorsed upon the original document.

(b) Where a document of which service is effected pursuant to subsection (3) of this section falls to be lodged at any court office, the endorsement specified in subparagraphs (iii) and (iv) of paragraph (a) of this subsection shall be effected thereon before lodgment at that office.

(7) Where a Circuit Court document or a District Court document is required by law to be stamped, service thereof pursuant to subsection (3) of this section shall have no effect or validity unless at the time of such service the document bears a stamp or stamps of the character and value required by law.

(8) Section 44 of the Court Officers Act, 1926, shall not be construed as requiring that one or more summons servers shall be attached at all times or at any time to every or any circuit court office.

Short title, collective citation and construction.

8.—(1) This Act may be cited as the Courts Act, 1964.

(2) The Courts (Supplemental Provisions) Acts, 1961 and 1962, and this Act may be cited together as the Courts (Supplemental Provisions) Acts, 1961 to 1964.

(3) The Courts (Supplemental Provisions) Acts, 1961 and 1962, and this Act shall be construed together as one Act.

Uimhir 11 de 1964.

ACHT NA gCÚIRTEANNA, 1964

[An tiontú oifigiúil.]

Léiriú.

1961, Uimh. 39.

1.—San Acht seo—

ciallaíonn “Acht 1961” Acht na gCúirteanna (Forálacha Forlíontacha), 1961;

ciallaíonn “an tAire” an tAire Dlí agus Cirt.

Líon gnáthbhreithiúna na Cúirte Cuarda.

2.—(1) Naonúr ar a mhéad an líon gnáth-bhreithiúna a bheidh sa Chúirt Chuarda.

(2) Aisghairtear leis seo alt 16 d'Acht 1961.

Cuarda a athrú.

3.—(1) Féadfaidh an Rialtas ó am go ham, más cuí leo é, le hordú—

(a) comhdhéanamh cuarda (seachas Cuaird Bhaile Atha Cliath agus Cuaird Chorcaí) a athrú trí chontae nó contaetha nó contae-bhuirg nó contae-bhuirgí nó contae nó contaetha agus contae-bhuirg nó contaebhuirgí a chur leis an gcuaird nó a bhaint aisti, agus

(b) i gcás inarb iomchuí é, ainm a thabhairt ar an gcuaird a ghairfear di in ionad an ainm a bheidh uirthi i láthair na huaire.

(2) Sula ndéanfaidh siad ordú faoin alt seo, rachaidh an Rialtas, ag gníomhú dóibh tríd an Aire, i gcomhairle le hUachtarán na Cúirte Cuarda, agus leis na breithiúna (más ann) den Chúirt Chuarda a bheidh buansannta do na cuarda lena mbainfidh an t-ordú.

(3) (a) Féadfar le hordú faoin alt seo socrú a dhéanamh chun go leanfar ar aghaidh agus go gcuirfear críoch le haon ghnó a bheidh á dhéanamh i gcuaird lena mbaineann an t-ordú agus a tionscnaíodh roimh thosach feidhme an ordaithe agus nach mbeidh críochnaithe roimh an tosach feidhme sin.

(b) Chun críocha an fho-ailt seo, measfar gnó a bheidh á dhéanamh sa Chuirt Chuarda a bheith á thionscnamh an lá a eisítear an bille sibhialta nó an doiciméad tionscnaimh eile a bhaineann leis.

Breitheamh a shannadh do chuaird in imthosca áirithe.

1947, Uimh. 20.

4.—(1) D'ainneoin mhír (a) d'fho-alt (2) d'alt 20 d'Acht 1961, más rud é, aon uair a bheidh beirt bhreitheamh buansannta do Chuaird Bhaile Átha Cliath agus a bheidh breitheamh buansannta do gach cuaird eile agus nach mbeidh aon bhreitheamh ann nach bhfuil buansannta do chuaird, go gceapfar breitheamh, féadfaidh an Rialtas an breitheamh sin a bhuansannadh d'aon chuaird in ionad breithimh a scoirfidh de bheith buansannta don chuaird sin agus, go dtí go ndéanfar an buansannadh sin, féadfaidh Uachtarán na Cúirte Cuardaó am go ham é a shannadh go sealadach d'aon chuaird.

(2) Má bhíonn breitheamh buansannta do chuaird, féadfaidh an Rialtas, más cuí leo é, ar an mbreitheamh sin dá iarraidh sin, buansannadh an bhreithimh sin don chuaird sin a fhoirceannadh agus féadfaidh an Rialtas tráth ar bith ina dhiaidh sin é a bhuansannadh d'aon chuaird agus, go dtí go ndéanfar an buansannadh sin, féadfaidh Uachtarán na Cúirte Cuarda ó am go ham é a shannadh go sealadach d'aon chuaird ach ní bheidh ann tráth ar bith níos mó ná breitheamh amháin nach bhfuil buansannta do chuaird.

(3) Nuair a dhéanfar breitheamh a shannadh go sealadach, faoi fho-alt (1) nó (2) den alt seo, do chuaird, ansin, fad a bheidh sé sannta go sealadach amhlaidh, beidh ag an mbreitheamh sin, maidir leis an gcuaird sin, agus i gcomhréim le haon bhreitheamh a bheidh buansannta di agus le haon bhreitheamh a bheidh sannta go sealadach, faoi alt 10 den Acht Cúirteanna Breithiúnais, 1947, arna chur chun feidhme le halt 48 d'Acht 1961 maidir leis an gcuaird sin, na pribhléidí, na cumhachtaí agus na dualgais uile a bheidh de thuras na huaire bronnta nó curtha le dlí ar bhreitheamh a bheidh buansannta don chuaird sin.

(4) San alt seo ciallaíonn “breitheamh” breitheamh den Chúirt Chuarda.

Saoire bhreithiúna na Cúirte Dúiche.

5.—Is iad na tráthanna a fhéadfaidh breithiúna na Cúirte Dúiche saoire a thógáil ná cibé tráthanna a cheadóidh an tAire.

Aistriú trialacha i gcásanna coiriúla ag breithiúna den Chúirt Chuarda.

1924, Uimh. 10.

1963, Uimh. 23.

6.—(1) Faoi réir fho-ailt (2) agus (3) den alt seo, nuair a dhéanfar duine (dá ngairtear cúisí san alt seo) a chúiseofar i gcion indíotáilte a chur ar aghaidh lena thriail ag an gCúirt Chuarda, má dhéanann an tArd-Aighne nó an cúisí iarratas chun an bhreithimh den Chúirt Chuarda ar os a chomhair a bheidh an cúisí intriailte á iarraidh an triail a aistriú go dtí an Phríomh-Chúirt Choiriúil, déanfar—

(a) i gcás ina ndearna páirtí an iarratais, seacht lá ar a laghad sula ndearnadh é, fógra i dtaobh an iarratais a thabhairt don chúisí nó don Ard-Aighne, cibé acu é, an t-iarratas a dheonú, agus

(b) in aon chás eile, de rogha an bhreithimh, an t-iarratas a dheonú nó a dhiúltú, agus beidh an bhreith ag deonú nó ag diúltú an iarratais ina breith chríochnaitheach nach bhféadfar achomharc a dhéanamh ina coinne.

(2) I gcás—

(a) ina gcuirfear beirt chúisí nó níos mó ar aghaidh lena dtriail go dtí an Chúirt Chuarda agus go mbeartófar iad a thriail le chéile, agus

(b) ina ndeonófar iarratas ó dhuine amháin nó níos mó, ach gan é a bheith ina iarratas ó gach duine, de na cúisithe faoi fho-alt (1) den alt seo,

deonófar iarratas, gan fógra a bheith tugtha don chúisí, ón Ard-Aighne chun an bhreithimh a dheonaigh an t-iarratas réamhráite á iarraidh triail duine amháin nó níos mó de na cúisithe a bheidh fágtha a aistriú go dtí an Phríomh-Chúirt Choiriúil.

(3) Má bhíonn níos lú ná seacht lá idir an dáta a chuirfear cúisí ar aghaidh lena thriail agus an dáta a thosóidh an triail, déanfar iarratas faoi fho-alt (1) den alt seo maidir leis an triail a dheonú.

(4) Déantar leis seo alt 54 den Acht Cúirteanna Breithiúnais, 1924, agus fo-alt (8) d'alt 34 den Acht Airgeadais, 1963, a aisghairm.

Doiciméid chúirte a sheirbheáil leis an bpost.

1926, Uimh. 27.

7.—(1) San alt seo—

ciallaíonn “doiciméad Cúirte Cuarda” aon doiciméad lena dtionscnaítear imeachtaí sa Chúirt Chuarda (lena n-áirítear achomhairc ón gCúirt Dúiche) agus aon doiciméad eile maidir le himeachtaí sibhialta sa Chúirt Chuarda ar fógra, ordú nó toghairm fhinné é;

ciallaíonn “doiciméad Cúirte Dúiche” aon doiciméad lena dtionscnaítear imeachtaí sa Chúirt Dúiche (seachas imeachtaí i modh toghairme ar comhalta den Gharda Síochána, Aire Stáit, oifigeach d'Aire Stáit, an tArd-Aighne nó oifigeach do na Coimisinéirí Ioncaim an gearánach iontu, nó imeachtaí faoi na hAchtanna Freastal Scoile, 1926 agus 1936) agus toghairm fhinné maidir leis na himeachtaí sin.

(2) Beidh feidhm ag an alt seo maidir le seirbheáil doiciméad Cúirte Cuarda agus doiciméad Cúirte Dúiche in aon limistéar aon uair nach mbeidh agus fad nach mbeidh aon seirbheálaí toghairme arna shannadh don limistéar sin ag an gCláraitheoir Contae don chontae ina bhfuil an limistéar.

(3) Féadfar doiciméad Cúirte Cuarda nó doiciméad Cúirte Dúiche a sheirbheáil trí chóip den doiciméad a chur leis an bpost réamhíoctha cláraithe i gclúdach arna dhíriú chun an duine atá le seirbheáil ag an seoladh nó an áit ghnó is déanaí is eol a bheith aige sa Stát agus féadfaidh an duine a n-airbheartóidh an doiciméad é a bheith á eisiúint thar a cheann nó duine a bheidh údaraithe chuige sin aige an doiciméad a chur leis an bpost.

(4) Má dhéantar doiciméad Cúirte Cuarda nó doiciméad Cúirte Dúiche a sheirbheáil ar dhuine de bhun fho-alt (3) den alt seo, measfar, ar a chruthú go ndearnadh an clúdach ina raibh cóip den doiciméad a dhíriú, a chlárú agus a chur leis an bpost de réir forálacha an fho-ailt sin, gur seirbheáil bhailí ar an duine é mura gcruthaítear nár seachadadh an chóip sin.

(5) (a) I gcás—

(i) duine a mbeartófar doiciméad a sheirbheáil air de bhun fho-alt (3) den alt seo a bheith lasmuigh den Stát nó nach fios cá bhfuil sé agus nach féidir é sin a fháil amach trí fhiosrú réasúnach, nó

(ii) clúdach ina mbeidh cóip de dhoiciméad a bheidh le seirbheáil ar dhuine de bhun an fho-ailt sin (3) a chur go dtí an duine leis an bpost cláraithe agus é a theacht ar ais go dtí an seoltóir gan a bheith seachadta,féadfaidh an Chúirt Chuarda nó an Chúirt Dúiche, cibé acu is iomchuí, cibé ordú is cuí léi a dhéanamh le haghaidh seirbheáil ionadach nó le haghaidh fógra a thabhairt trí fhógrán nó ar dhóigh eile in ionad seirbheáil a dhéanamh.

(b) An chumhacht a thugtar don Chúirt Chuarda agus don Chúirt Dúiche leis an bhfo-alt seo, beidh sí gan dochar d'aon chumhacht eile dá bhfuil ag na Cúirteanna sin chun orduithe a dhéanamh le haghaidh seirbheáil ionadach nó le haghaidh fógra a thabhairt trí fhógrán nó ar dhóigh eile in ionad seirbheáil a dhéanamh.

(c) San fho-alt seo ciallaíonn “seirbheáil ionadach” seirbheáil ar dhóigh seachas ag seirbheálaí toghairme nó de bhun fho-alt (3) den alt seo.

(6) (a) Nuair a sheirbheálfar doiciméad ar dhuine trí chóip de a chur leis an bpost réamhíoctha cláraithe i gclúdach a dhíreofar chun an duine de bhun fho-alt (3) den alt seo—

(i) measfar an doiciméad a sheirbheáil ar an duine ag an am a sheachadfaí an clúdach i ngnáthchúrsa an phoist,

(ii) measfar an doiciméad a eisiúint ag an am a phostálfar an clúdach,

(iii) féadfar díriú, clárú agus postáil an chlúdaigh, de réir forálacha fho-alt (3) den alt seo, a chruthú le dearbhú reachtúil (a fhormhuineofar ar an doiciméad bunaidh agus a dhéanfaidh an duine a phostáil an clúdach tráth nach luaithe ná deich lá i ndiaidh an lae a postáladh an clúdach) ina dtaispeánfar an deimhniú gur postáladh an clúdach réamhráite agus ina ndéarfar, más amhlaidh a bhí, go raibh an doiciméad bunaidh stampáilte go cuí nuair a postáladh é agus nach ndearnadh an clúdach a chur ar ais go dtí an seoltóir gan a bheith seachadta, agus

(iv) formhuineofar ar an doiciméad bunaidh an t-am an dáta agus an áit ar postáladh an clúdach.

(b) I gcás doiciméad a sheirbheálfar de bhun fho-alt (3) den alt seo a bheith le taisceadh in aon oifig chúirte, déanfar an formhuiniú a shonraítear i míreanna (iii) agus (iv) de mhír (a) den fho-alt seo air sula dtaiscfear san oifig sin é.

(7) Nuair is gá de réir dlí doiciméad Cúirte Cuarda nó doiciméad Cúirte Dúiche a stampáil, ní bheidh aon éifeacht ná bailíocht ag seirbheáil an doiciméid sin de bhun fho-alt (3) den alt seo mura mbeidh air an tráth a sheirbheálfar amhlaidh é stampa nó stampaí den chineál agus den luach is gá de réir dlí.

(8) Ní fhorléireofar alt 44 den Acht Oifigigh Cúirte, 1926, mar ní a cheanglaíonn go mbeidh seirbheálaí toghairme amháin nó níos mó ag gabháil gach tráth nó aon tráth le gach oifig chúirte cuarda nó le haon oifig chúirte cuarda.

Gearrtheideal, comhlua agus forléiriú.

8.—(1) Féadfar Acht na gCúirteanna, 1964, a ghairm den Acht seo.

(2) Féadfar Achtanna na gCúirteanna (Forálacha Forlíontacha), 1961 go 1964, a ghairm d'Achtanna na gCúirteanna (Forálacha Forlíontacha), 1961 agus 1962, agus den Acht seo le chéile.

(3) Déanfar Achtanna na gCúirteanna (Forálacha Forlíontacha), 1961 agus 1962, agus an tAcht seo a fhorléiriú le chéile mar aon Acht amháin.