Attorney General v O'Kelly

JurisdictionIreland
CourtHigh Court (Irish Free State)
Judgment Date20 March 1928
Date20 March 1928
H. C.,
Attorney-General
and
O'Kelly

Comments on observations made by Judge on the conduct of jury - Scandalising the Court - Motion to attach -Jurisdiction of High Court - Powers conferred by the Constitution - Constitution of the Irish Free State (Saorstát Eireann) Act, 1922 (No. 1 of 1922), Sch. I., Arts. 2, 64, 72, 73 - Courts of Justice Act, 1924 (No. 10 of 1924), s. 17.

The High Court of Justice of the Irish Free State has jurisdiction to commit for contempt of Court, neither Art. 72 nor any other Article of the Constitution having deprived it of that jurisdiction. So held by the High Court (Sullivan, P., Meredith and Hanna, J.J.). Per Sullivan, P.: Committals for contempt of Court by scandalising the Court itself have not become obsolete, and the dictum to the contrary in McLeod v. St. Aubyn,ELR [1899] A. C. 549, cannot be accepted as accurate, having regard to the subsequent decisions,R. v. Gray,ELR [1900] 2 Q. B. 36, and R. v. Editor of the New Statesman,UNK 44 T. L. R. 301. On an application by the Attorney-General for an order for attachment against the Editor of a newspaper for contempt of Court for causing to be printed and published certain statements which...

To continue reading

Request your trial
19 cases
  • Murphy v British Broadcasting Corporation
    • Ireland
    • High Court
    • 21 December 2004
    ...STATE V MCRANN 1977 IR 78 DOBSON V HASTINGS 1992 ALL ER 394 CHIEF CONSTABLE OF LEICESTERSHIRE V GARAVELLI 1997 EMLR 543 AG V O'KELLY 1928 IR 308 CONSTITUTION ART 38.1 CONSTITUTION ART 40.3 DPP, STATE V WALSH 1981 IR 412 CONSTITUTION ART 35.2 SHANNON REGIONAL FISHERIES BOARD V CAVAN CO CO......
  • State (Commins) v McRann
    • Ireland
    • High Court
    • 1 January 1977
    ...the issue of contempt of court and to impose sanctions in the event of disobedience to their orders. The Attorney General v. O'KellyIR [1928] I.R. 308: In re EarleIR [1938] I.R. 485 and The Attorney Generalv. ConnollyIR [1947] I.R. 213 approved. 2. That in the case of civil contempt the rea......
  • Allied Irish Banks Plc v McQuaid
    • Ireland
    • High Court
    • 25 July 2017
    ...in the face of or outside the court, and whether it is classified as criminal or as civil contempt.' 25 In Attorney General v. O'Kelly [1928] I.R. 308, a Divisional High Court (Sullivan P., Meredith and Hanna JJ.) considered an application to attach and commit for alleged contempt in the f......
  • Connelly v Wallace and Others
    • Ireland
    • Supreme Court
    • 24 February 1938
    ...(7) 4 H. & N. 712. (8) 8 A. & E. 449. (9) [1919] 1 I. R. 227. (10) 6 L. R. (Ir.) 455. (11) 10 Q. B. 359. (12) 39 I. L. T. R. 221. (13) [1928] I. R. 308. (14) [1905] 2 I. R. (15) [1912] 2 I. R. 374. (16) [1910] 2 K. B. 244. (17) 6 C. B. 363. (18) 21 Q. B. D. 362. (1) [1895] 1 Ch. 37. (2) L. ......
  • Request a trial to view additional results
2 books & journal articles
  • Some reflections on the law of contempt
    • Ireland
    • Irish Judicial Studies Journal Nbr. 2-2, July 2002
    • 1 July 2002
    ...an inescapable conclusion that, if in 78Although there might possibly be an equality argument. 79[1981] I.R. 412. 80[1981] I.R. 412. 81[1928] I.R. 308. 82[1947] I.R. 121 Judicial Studies Institute Journal [2:2 1937 it was intended to depart from that understanding of the nature of the crimi......
  • Criticising judges in Ireland
    • Ireland
    • Irish Judicial Studies Journal Nbr. 1-2, January 2002
    • 1 January 2002
    ...in R. v. Gray [1900] All E.R. 59 and R. v. The Editor of the New Statesman [1928] 44 Times L.R. 301, in Attorney General v. O’Kelly [1928] I.R. 308 at 8[1928] I.R. 308 at 331. 84 Judicial Studies Institute Journal [2:1 administration of justice, and the preservation of public peace and orde......

VLEX uses login cookies to provide you with a better browsing experience. If you click on 'Accept' or continue browsing this site we consider that you accept our cookie policy. ACCEPT