Michael White (judge)

Michael White (born 1953[1]) is an Irish judge who served as a judge of the High Court between 2011 and 2021 and a judge of the Circuit Court between 1996 and 2011. He was formerly a politician and solicitor and was one of the first solicitors to be appointed the Irish judiciary.

The Hon. Mr. Justice
Michael White
Judge of the High Court
In office
24 October 2011 – September 2021
Nominated byGovernment of Ireland
Appointed byMary McAleese
Judge of the Circuit Court
In office
1996–2011
Nominated byGovernment of Ireland
Appointed byMary Robinson
Personal details
Born1953 (age 69–70)
Carndonagh, County Donegal, Republic of Ireland
SpouseMaud McKee (m. 1982; d. 2014)
Children4
Alma mater

Early career

White was born in Carndonagh, County Donegal. His father Michael was a solicitor. He attended St Patrick's Boys' National School, Carndonagh Boys Secondary School and Gormanston College.[2] He graduated with a degree in law from University College Dublin in 1973 and qualified as a solicitor in 1975.[1] He engaged in socialist activism during his time in university and joined the Workers' Party.[3] He contested three general elections and one by-election in the Dublin Central constituency between 1981 and 1983 for the Workers' Party.[4]

He set up a law firm with Pat McCartan and Paula Scully in 1976, before setting up his own practice in 1987. He later specialised in family law and labour law.[3] He represented future Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore in a land dispute during his career as a solicitor.[4]

Judicial career

He was appointed to the Circuit Court in 1996, one of the first three solicitors to be appointed to a judicial position. In the Circuit Court he sentenced George Redmond following findings by the Flood Tribunal. He presided over the trial surrounding the death of Brian Murphy,[3] which influenced the fictional novel Bad Day in Blackrock and its film adaptation What Richard Did.[5]

He was appointed to the High Court through application to the Judicial Appointments Advisory Board in October 2011.[6] He is the chair of the Hammond Lane Project Board for the development of a new courthouse in Dublin.[7] He publicly criticised the procedures and administration of the Irish family law courts in 2018.[8]

White was the Judge in Charge of the Central Criminal Court.[9][10]

In February 2021 he was appointed as the inaugural chairperson of the Parole Board and in June 2021 and took over as the chairperson of a Commission of Investigation into allegations of sexual abuse made against Bill Kenneally.[11][12]

He retired as a High Court judge on 1 October 2021.[13][14]

Personal life

White lives in Dublin. He married Maud McKee in 1982, a doctor originally from Portballintrae, with whom he had four sons. Dr. McKee died in 2014.[15]

References
  1. "Appointments to the High Court". Irish Government News Service. 11 October 2011. Archived from the original on 16 May 2019. Retrieved 16 May 2019.
  2. "Carndonagh man appointed to High Court". Inishowen News. 27 October 2011. Archived from the original on 12 October 2013. Retrieved 16 May 2019.
  3. Coulter, Carol (8 March 2004). "The judge who will decide fate of 'former Blackrock students'". The Irish Times. Archived from the original on 23 September 2021. Retrieved 16 May 2019.
  4. Kelly, Fiach (13 October 2011). "Lawyer with links to Gilmore gets top judge job". Irish Independent. Archived from the original on 16 May 2019. Retrieved 16 May 2019.
  5. "Movie based on Annabel's killing is sold across world". The Herald. Archived from the original on 2 May 2021. Retrieved 2 May 2021.
  6. "Judicial Appointments Advisory Board Annual Report 2011" (PDF). JAAB. Archived (PDF) from the original on 28 July 2018. Retrieved 16 May 2019.
  7. "Address by the Tánaiste at the Presentation of the Courts Service Annual Report 2015". Department of Justice and Equality. Archived from the original on 16 May 2019. Retrieved 16 May 2019.
  8. Phelan, Shane (28 September 2018). "Family law courts 'too adversarial', says judge". Irish Independent. Archived from the original on 16 May 2019. Retrieved 16 May 2019.
  9. "General Notices: 12 February 2020 - HC Judges Hilary '20". Courts.ie. Archived from the original on 18 February 2020. Retrieved 20 February 2020.
  10. "Notice - High Court Michaelmas Term - Assignment of Judges". Courts Service. 13 October 2020. Archived from the original on 23 September 2021. Retrieved 14 October 2020.
  11. "Minister McEntee welcomes the nomination of Mr Justice Michael White as Chairperson of the Parole Board". www.gov.ie. Retrieved 11 November 2021.
  12. "Appointment of Mr Justice Michael White to the Commission of Investigation (Response to complaints or allegations of child sexual abuse made against Bill Kenneally and related matters)". Justice. Retrieved 11 November 2021.
  13. "Appointments to the High Court". www.gov.ie. Retrieved 1 December 2021.
  14. Carolan, Mary. "Frustration mounts over court delays as more judges sought". The Irish Times. Retrieved 11 November 2021.
  15. "Caring physician and pioneering feminist". Irish Medical Times. 12 January 2015. Archived from the original on 16 May 2019. Retrieved 16 May 2019.
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