Northern Ireland

CourtsWise covers the District Court of the Republic of Ireland only. Nothing on this site applies to a case in Northern Ireland: the courts, the fixed penalties, the penalty points, the drink-driving limits, legal aid and the appeal routes are all different there.

Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland has magistrates’ courts rather than a District Court, the Public Prosecution Service, the Legal Services Agency for legal aid, and its own Road Traffic Orders. A fixed charge notice from the Garda does not apply to a Northern-registered driver in the same way, and penalty points do not transfer between the two licensing systems in the ordinary way.

• nidirect: crime, justice and the law for the rules and the courts.
• Department of Justice (Northern Ireland) for legal aid and the court service.
• Law Society of Northern Ireland to find a solicitor.

Driving across the border

An offence committed in the Republic is dealt with by the Garda and the District Court whatever licence you hold; a disqualification imposed here may be recognised in the North under the mutual-recognition arrangements, which a solicitor in the relevant jurisdiction can explain. For a case in the Republic, start with the guides and the court finder.