Law and the courts in the news

Checked 15 Oct 202610 sources, checked daily: RTÉ, Irish Times, Irish Independent, TheJournal.ie, BreakingNews.ie, Irish Examiner, FLAC, IPRT, Law Society Gazette, Courts Service.

What the press and the legal bodies are reporting about the law, the courts, legal aid, fines, claims and the profession, chosen by subject and never by case; the dated developments in the law; and, for the person with a court date, the Courts Service's own sittings notices by day and by district. Newest first, each linking its source.

What this page is not

Not a court report and not a court list. CourtsWise never publishes who was in court or what happened in a case, and leaves out any item that names one. Every item is its source’s own, mirrored as headline, date, summary and link: news for the last 180 days, court notices for 60. An item from a newspaper or a body is that source’s view, not CourtsWise’s. Today’s list is at the court office. If your court has a notice, it is on its own page too: find your court.

In the news

From RTÉ, Irish Times, Irish Independent, TheJournal.ie, BreakingNews.ie, Irish Examiner, FLAC, IPRT, Law Society Gazette: the law, the courts, legal aid, fines, claims and the profession.

Developments in the law

The full dated log →

  • 15 October 2026 · Official record

    Tracker started

    First check of the Irish Statute Book, the Oireachtas, courts.ie, gov.ie Justice and Transport, garda.ie and the Law Society Gazette. The €520 flat fee in force since 1 July with services withdrawn in most districts; section 4 of the Road Traffic Act 2024 in force since 31 March 2025; the Family Courts Act 2024 not commenced; no sentencing guideline adopted; no Legal Aid, Intoxicating Liquor or spent-convictions Bill published.

    Courts Service

  • 13 October 2026 · Organisation

    Quinn legal aid judgment now due 3 November

    The Law Society Gazette reports that Ms Justice Gearty's judgment in John Quinn's challenge to the flat-fee statutory instrument, listed for 13 October, is due to be delivered on 3 November 2026, and that the judge urged the Minister and the profession to settle the dispute. The Chief Justice had raised concerns about the dispute the previous week.

    Law Society Gazette, 13 October 2026

  • 5 October 2026 · Press report

    About 200 solicitors and barristers walk out of the Criminal Courts of Justice

    On the first day of the new legal term about 200 defence solicitors and barristers walked out of the Criminal Courts of Justice in Dublin over the €520 flat fee. More than 100 Dublin solicitors had voted to extend the withdrawal of services into October.

    Irish Examiner, 5 October 2026

  • 2 October 2026 · Press report

    E-scooter minimum age 18 in force

    The minimum age for riding an e-scooter rose from 16 to 18 on 2 October 2026. Helmets and high-visibility clothing have been mandatory since 4 September. The fixed charge for e-scooter offences is €100 and the detention fee for a seized scooter is €80 plus €30 a day.

    The Irish Times, 2 October 2026

  • 24 September 2026 · Official record

    Annual licensing court sittings and the new licensing year

    The Dublin Metropolitan District's annual licensing court sat for general licensing on 24 September, clubs on 25 September, public dancing on 28 September, music and singing on 2 October and restaurants on 5 October 2026, with applications lodged by 7 September. The licensing year runs from 1 October. Fees: special exemption order €150, occasional licence €150, dance licence €150 for up to one month or €335.

    Courts Service: annual licensing dates 2026

  • 4 September 2026 · Official record

    Road traffic Bill published: camera vans, multi-offence points

    The National Vehicle and Driver File, Road Traffic and Roads Bill 2026 (Bill 83 of 2026) was initiated in the Dáil on 4 September 2026. It lets camera-van operators give certificate evidence in court, clarifies penalty points in a multi-offence incident where a driver is disqualified, and removes the 12-month cap on a declaration of non-use. It does not include graduated speeding points.

    Oireachtas: National Vehicle and Driver File, Road Traffic and Roads Bill 2026 (Bill 83 of 2026)

  • 1 September 2026 · Press report

    Legal aid certificates in July fall from 10,344 to 702

    Courts Service figures reported by The Irish Times show 702 criminal legal aid certificates granted in July 2026 against 10,344 in July 2025. More than 100 solicitors walked out of the Criminal Courts of Justice as full District Court sittings resumed after August; solicitors asked for a certificate per offence date, capped at five, and a further certificate after 10 appearances; the Department said these were incompatible with one fee per case.

    The Irish Times, 1 September 2026

  • 31 July 2026 · Press report

    High Court reserves judgment in the challenge to the flat fee

    Ms Justice Gearty reserved judgment in John Quinn's application to quash the statutory instrument behind the €520 fee and said she would rule on 13 October 2026. The Law Society, a notice party, supports the challenge; the Minister defends the scheme.

    The Irish Times, 31 July 2026

What each development means and what is still only a proposal: the 2026 rule-change tracker.

For the person with a court date

Sittings notices from the Courts Service

A sitting cancelled, a list adjourned, a change of date, arrangements during a strike: the Courts Service’s own notices for the District Court, by day and by district. Ring the office to confirm a date before travelling.

Notices from the courts, by day

15 October 2026

13 October 2026

12 October 2026

9 October 2026

8 October 2026

By district