Time to Open Courts and Let Justice be seen: A Discussion of Transparency in the Irish Courts and the (Pending) Legal Services Regulation Bill

Abstract

This is an Opinion Editorial for The Irish Independent, the largest circulating newspaper of record in Ireland. It was published on August 22, 2012 in hard copy.

Opening: If a party’s barrister goes to court and makes an argument, you get to hear what the barrister says. You get to show up and listen to the proceedings. With a few exceptions, justice, in Ireland, is administered in public. However, if that same barrister reduces his argument to a written form and sends his legal submission to the judge and his opponent, then you do not get to see that document (even if you offer to pay for a copy!). Does that make sense? You know it doesn’t.

Keywords: transparency, courts, Ireland