Keegan v de Burca

JurisdictionIreland
Judgment Date24 July 1973
Date24 July 1973
Docket Number[1971. No. 2379 P.]
CourtSupreme Court
(S.C.)
Keegan
and
de Burca

Contempt of court -Witness refusing to answer question posed by judge - Criminal contempt - Summary trial -Punishment.

During the course of the plaintiffs' civil action, the High Court made an interlocutory order restraining the defendant and others from entering upon or occupying the plaintiffs' property. The plaintiffs brought a motion seeking an order of attachment because of the defendant's alleged breach of the interlocutory order. At the hearing of the motion the defendant refused to answer a relevant question which the judge had asked. The judge thereupon sentenced the defendant to be imprisoned "until she purge her said contempt." On appeal by the defendant it was Held by the Supreme Court ( Ó Dálaigh C.J. and Walsh J. McLoughlin J. dissenting), in remitting the matter to the High...

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38 cases
  • Shell E & P Ireland Ltd v McGrath (No. 2)
    • Ireland
    • High Court
    • 5 Diciembre 2006
  • Murphy v British Broadcasting Corporation
    • Ireland
    • High Court
    • 21 Diciembre 2004
    ...O'KELLY 1928 IR 308 62 ILTR 78 EARLE, RE 1938 IR 485 AG V CONNOLLY 1947 IR 213 81 ILTR 92 HAUGHEY, RE 1971 IR 217 KEEGAN V DE BURCA 1973 IR 223 COMMINS, STATE V MCRANN 1977 IR 78 COURTS (SUPPLEMENTAL PROVISIONS) ACT 1961 S8(2) DPP, PEOPLE V O'SHEA 1982 IR 384 1983 ILRM 549 TORMEY ......
  • Quinn & Others v Irish Bank Resolution Corporation Ltd
    • Ireland
    • Supreme Court
    • 24 Octubre 2012
    ...evidence of failure to purge contempt - Whether principles of contempt of court applied correctly by trial judge - Keegan v DeBurca [1973] 1 IR 223; Shell E&P Ireland Ltd v McGrath [2006] IEHC 108, [2007] 1 IR 671 and Dublin City Council v McFeely [2012] IESC 45, (Unrep, SC, 31/7/2012) appr......
  • Re McAllister
    • Ireland
    • High Court
    • 4 Agosto 1973
    ...of the section did not result in the trial of a criminal charge and did not involve a criminal contempt of court. Keegan v. de BurcaIR[1973] I.R. 223 distinguished. 3. That the section, by employing the words "without bail", purported to exclude from the jurisdiction of the High Court the p......
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2 books & journal articles
  • Some reflections on the law of contempt
    • Ireland
    • Irish Judicial Studies Journal No. 2-2, July 2002
    • 1 Julio 2002
    ...General British Columbia (1953) 2 D.L.R. 785 and United Nurses of Alberta v. Attorney General for Alberta (1992) 89 D.L.R. 4th 609. 5[1973] I.R. 223. 6[1973] I.R. 223 at 227. See, however, Flood v. Lawlor (unreported, Supreme Court, 12 December 2001), where the Supreme Court endorsed a sent......
  • Contempt of court and the need for legislation
    • Ireland
    • Irish Judicial Studies Journal No. 1-4, January 2004
    • 1 Enero 2004
    ...to be achieved. Thus there can be a punitive dimension to civil contempt of court. 8 A notable exception being Keegan v. de Burca [1973] I.R. 223 at 227 (S.C.) per Ó Dálaigh Judicial Studies Institute Journal 2004] Contemp of Court and the need for Legislation In Flood v. Lawlor9 Keane C.J.......

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