Supreme Court call over in Castlebar Courthouse

A SUPREME Court judge has joined a sitting of the court remotely from Castlebar.

The Courts Service has installed cabling for Surface Pro computers in all major court venues. This means that a judge is as connected to the Courts Service IT system as if in the Four Courts.

It allows court hearings in a virtual courtroom, and helps keep business up to date while following Covid health and safety measures.

The technology and modernised Castlebar Courthouse recently enabled the Honourable Mr. Justice Peter Charleton to sit in Castlebar, using the virtual Courtroom Pexip system, to join a Supreme Court sitting remotely.

Justice Charleton was in Achill, completing the second edition of 'Charleton and McDerrmott's Criminal Law and Evidence'.

Mr. Paul McDermott, SC, a good friend of Justice Charleton, died just before Christmas 2019. The book was completed and is due for publication in October.

Castlebar Courthouse will also be hosting sittings of the Central Criminal Court in the autumn.

Last year the Courts Service centralised the jury summonsing unit, and the service of foreign documents unit in Castlebar courthouse.