The Supreme Court

The position of Supreme Court Registrar is a statutory one. The Registrar has superintendence and control of the Office of the Supreme Court and is responsible to the Chief Justice for the business of the Court transacted in the Office. He is also subject to the general direction of the Courts Service for matters of general administration. The Registrar is Mr John Mahon.

The Supreme Court Office provides administrative and registry support to the Supreme Court. It has a public office where documentation relating to appeals and applications for leave to appeal is filed. The Registrar is supported by an Assistant Registrar and seven additional members of staff.

The Rules of Court require that all applications, appeals, and other matters before the Supreme Court are prepared for hearing or determination in a manner which is just, expeditious, and likely to minimise the costs of the proceedings. In that regard, the Office and its staff are responsible for the following functions:

• Reviewing filings and documentation for compliance with the rules and practice of the Court
• Managing the applications for leave to appeal and appeals to ensure that they are progressed fairly and efficiently
• Listing applications and appeals for hearing
• Issuing and publishing determinations and judgments of the Court
• Drafting and finalising orders of the Court
• Enrolling the text of the Constitution embodying amendments (in accordance with Article 25.5.2° of the Constitution) and enrolling Acts of the Oireachtas (in accordance with Article 25.4.5° of the Constitution)
• Processing applications to be appointed as a notary public or commissioner for oaths
• Authenticating the signatures of notaries or commissioners on legal documents for use in Ireland or other jurisdictions
• Supporting protocol functions including the swearing in of new judges by the Chief Justice and calls to the Bar of Ireland

The Chief Justice, in carrying out his judicial, statutory, and administrative functions at a domestic and international level, is supported by a team comprising:

• Senior Executive Legal Officer who has overall responsibility for ensuring that the Chief Justice is supported in his judicial leadership functions as Chief Justice and President of the Supreme Court.
• Executive Legal Manager who supports the fulfilment of the domestic, legal, and administrative functions of the Chief Justice and Supreme Court.
• Executive Legal Manager (International) who supports the fulfilment of the international responsibilities of the Chief Justice and the Supreme Court.
• Judicial Assistants who fulfil court-going duties and provide legal research and proofreading assistance to the Chief Justice.
• Private Secretary who provides secretarial support to the Chief Justice.

Judges of the Supreme Court are supported by Judicial Assistants and a small number of Ushers.

• The work undertaken by Judicial Assistants involves providing legal research assistance, practical assistance, assisting in the proof-reading of judgments and preparing judgment summaries prior to delivery. They are part of the wider Legal Research and Library Services Department in the Courts Service, which provides legal research and library services to all members of the Judiciary. 
• Ushers provide court-going and practical assistance to members of the Supreme Court.

For more information on the work carried out by Judicial Assistants, please see “A day in the life of a Supreme Court judicial assistant” in the Supreme Court Annual Report 2021 here. The Courts Service conducts regular open competitions for the recruitment of Judicial Assistants, further information of which is available here.

The Superior Courts Operations Directorate oversees the provision of administrative and operation support to the Supreme Court, the Court of Appeal, and the High Court. The Directorate is also responsible for the offices attached to these courts and the staff associated with each office, including the Supreme Court Office. Mr Tom Ward is the Assistant Secretary with responsibility for the Superior Courts Directorate.

• The Courts Service is the statutory independent agency responsible for the administration and management of all courts in Ireland. Established pursuant to the Courts Service Act 1998, the Courts Service manages all aspects of court activities except for judicial functions and the administration of justice, which are matters exclusively for the judiciary.
• All Courts Service staff members are civil servants of the State and are statutorily required to act fairly and impartially in the discharge of their respective duties.
• The Chief Executive Officer, Angela Denning, is responsible for implementing policies approved by the Courts Service Board, managing Courts Service staff, and overseeing the administration and business of the Courts Service.
• The CEO liaises closely with the Chief Justice, judges of the Supreme Court and staff of the relevant offices in supporting the Supreme Court. A Judicial Support Unit within the Office of the CEO provides support to judges of all jurisdictions, including the Supreme Court, in a variety of areas, including foreign travel, protocol matters, internal and external liaison, and co-ordination of visits.