Tracey -v- Ireland & ors [2018] IESC 6 (07 February 2018)

Tracey -v- Ireland & ors [2018] IESC 6 (07 February 2018)

The court has jurisdiction to grant judgment in default of defence on a second application only if the defendant has not delivered a defence by the date of the hearing. As the State defendants delivered their defence before the hearing, the High Court correctly struck out the plaintiffs’ motion and awarded costs to the plaintiffs.

Citation
[2018] IESC 6
Parties
Plaintiff/appellant: Kevin Tracey; Plaintiff/appellant: Karen Tracey; Defendant/appellant: Ireland; Defendant/appellant: The Attorney General; Defendant/appellant: Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform; Defendant/appellant: The Commissioner of an Garda Síochána; Defendant/appellant: The Garda Complaints Board; Defendant/appellant: Anthony Duggan; Defendant/appellant: Malachy Mulligan; Defendant/appellant: Martin Griffin; Defendant/appellant: Liam Mulgrew; Defendant/appellant: Declan Murray; Defendant/appellant: Edward Finucane; Defendant/appellant: Deirdre Ryan; Defendant/appellant: Feidhlim McKenna; Defendant/appellant: Paul Fanning; Defendant/appellant: Kevin Grogan; Defendant/appellant: The Director of Public Prosecutions; Defendant/appellant: Clare Loftus; Defendant/appellant: Ronan O’Neill; Defendant/appellant: Declan Keating; Defendant/appellant: The Courts Service; Defendant/appellant: Frieda McElhinney; Defendant/appellant: Cormac Dunne; Defendant/appellant: Yvonne Bambury; Defendant/appellant: Mary McKeon; Defendant/appellant: Olive Boyle; Defendant/appellant: Brigid O’Dowda
Jurisdiction
Ireland
Judgment Date
07 February 2018
Procedural Posture
Civil Appeal / Supreme Court Judgment on Appeal From High Court Order Striking Out Motion for Judgment in Default of Defence
Outcome
Appeal dismissed
Legal Topics
Default of Defence, Interpretation of Court Rules, Costs, Fair Procedures
Civil Procedure Default of Defence Interpretation of Court Rules Costs Fair Procedures

Case Brief

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Parties

Kevin Tracey

Plaintiff/appellant

Karen Tracey

Plaintiff/appellant

Ireland

Defendant/appellant

The Attorney General

Defendant/appellant

Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform

Defendant/appellant

The Commissioner of an Garda Síochána

Defendant/appellant

The Garda Complaints Board

Defendant/appellant

Anthony Duggan

Defendant/appellant

Malachy Mulligan

Defendant/appellant

Martin Griffin

Defendant/appellant

Liam Mulgrew

Defendant/appellant

Declan Murray

Defendant/appellant

Edward Finucane

Defendant/appellant

Deirdre Ryan

Defendant/appellant

Feidhlim McKenna

Defendant/appellant

Paul Fanning

Defendant/appellant

Kevin Grogan

Defendant/appellant

The Director of Public Prosecutions

Defendant/appellant

Clare Loftus

Defendant/appellant

Ronan O’Neill

Defendant/appellant

Declan Keating

Defendant/appellant

The Courts Service

Defendant/appellant

Frieda McElhinney

Defendant/appellant

Cormac Dunne

Defendant/appellant

Yvonne Bambury

Defendant/appellant

Mary McKeon

Defendant/appellant

Olive Boyle

Defendant/appellant

Brigid O’Dowda

Defendant/appellant

Procedural Posture

Civil Appeal / Supreme Court Judgment on Appeal From High Court Order Striking Out Motion for Judgment in Default of Defence

Legal Issues

  1. 1 Whether the High Court was correct to strike out the plaintiffs’ second motion for judgment in default of defence after the defendants delivered a defence before the hearing
  2. 2 Interpretation of Order 27, rules 8 and 9 of the Rules of the Superior Courts

Ratio Decidendi

The court has jurisdiction to grant judgment in default of defence on a second application only if the defendant has not delivered a defence by the date of the hearing. As the State defendants delivered their defence before the hearing, the High Court correctly struck out the plaintiffs’ motion and awarded costs to the plaintiffs.

Court Disposition

Appeal dismissed

Orders

  • High Court order striking out the motion for judgment in default of defence affirmed
  • Costs of the motion awarded to the plaintiffs