Brian McGovern (judge)
{{Short description|Irish judge}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2022}}
{{Use Hiberno-English|date=February 2022}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Brian McGovern
| image =
| office = Judge of the Court of Appeal
| term_start = 28 June 2018
| term_end = 15 March 2020
| nominator = Government of Ireland
| appointer = Michael D. Higgins
| office1 = Judge of the High Court
| term_start1 = 11 March 2006
| term_end1 = 25 June 2018
| nominator1 = Government of Ireland
| appointer1 = Mary McAleese
| birth_name =
| birth_date =
| birth_place =
| death_date =
| death_place =
| nationality = Irish
| spouse =
| children =
| education = Castleknock College
| alma_mater = {{Ubl|University College Dublin|King's Inns}}
|}}
Brian J. McGovern is a retired Irish judge who served as a Judge of the Court of Appeal from June 2018 to March 2020 and a Judge of the High Court from 2007 to 2010.
Early life
McGovern attended Castleknock College and obtained a BCL from University College Dublin in 1971. He attended the King's Inns and was called to the Bar in 1972. He became a senior counsel in 1991.{{cite news |title=High Court judge is nominated |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/inshort-1.997712 |accessdate=16 May 2019 |newspaper=The Irish Times |date=3 May 2006}} During his career as a barrister he frequently practiced in areas of both criminal and civil law. He served as President of the Irish Maritime Law Association. He represented Total S.A. in an inquiry into the Whiddy Island disaster.{{cite news |title=New judge for High Court |url=https://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/new-judge-for-high-court-256901.html |accessdate=16 May 2019 |work=BreakingNews.ie |date=2 May 2006 |archive-date=16 May 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190516230302/https://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/new-judge-for-high-court-256901.html |url-status=live }}
Judicial career
= High Court =
He was appointed to the High Court in 2006. Soon after his appointment he heard a case regarding the right of access of a woman to frozen embryos against the wishes of her husband. He acted as the designated arbitration judge for Ireland until his appointment to the Court of Appeal.{{cite news |title=800 secondary teachers to train in dispute resolution |url=https://www.lawsociety.ie/gazette/Top-Stories/800-secondary-teachers-to-be-trained-in-mediation-and-dispute-resolution/ |accessdate=16 May 2019 |work=Law Society Gazette |date=19 November 2018 |archive-date=16 May 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190516230305/https://www.lawsociety.ie/gazette/Top-Stories/800-secondary-teachers-to-be-trained-in-mediation-and-dispute-resolution/ |url-status=live }} He was also the presiding judge in the specialist Commercial Court.{{cite web |title=Ireland's Designated Arbitration Judge |url=https://www.arbitrationireland.com/irelands-designated-arbitration-judge/ |website=Arbitration Ireland |accessdate=16 May 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190516230305/https://www.arbitrationireland.com/irelands-designated-arbitration-judge/ |archive-date=16 May 2019 |url-status=dead }} In the Commercial Court, he was the trial judge for high-profile disputes involving Rory McIlroy, Gay Byrne and Mick Wallace.{{cite news |title=Judge in Rory McIlroy case against former management company orders peace talks |url=https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/courts/judge-in-rory-mcilroy-case-against-former-management-company-orders-peace-talks-30591119.html |accessdate=16 May 2019 |work=Irish Independent |date=16 September 2014 |archive-date=16 May 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190516230303/https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/courts/judge-in-rory-mcilroy-case-against-former-management-company-orders-peace-talks-30591119.html |url-status=live }}{{cite news |last1=O'Faolain |first1=Aodhan |title=Gay Byrne and family settle €1.2m financial dispute |url=https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/courts/gay-byrne-and-family-settle-1-2m-financial-dispute-36561792.html |accessdate=16 May 2019 |work=Irish Independent |date=2 February 2018 |archive-date=16 May 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190516230302/https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/courts/gay-byrne-and-family-settle-1-2m-financial-dispute-36561792.html |url-status=live }}{{cite news |title=High Court grants judgment for €2m against Mick Wallace |url=https://www.rte.ie/news/2016/0129/763857-mick-wallace-judgement/ |accessdate=16 May 2019 |work=RTÉ News |date=29 January 2016 |archive-date=16 May 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190516230315/https://www.rte.ie/news/2016/0129/763857-mick-wallace-judgement/ |url-status=live }}
= Court of Appeal =
McGovern was appointed to the Court of Appeal in June 2018.{{cite web |title=President appoints new Judges |url=https://president.ie/en/diary/details/president-appoints-ms-justice-marie-baker-and-mr-justice-brian-j.-mcgovern |publisher=President.ie |accessdate=16 May 2019 |archive-date=12 May 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190512172546/https://president.ie/en/diary/details/president-appoints-ms-justice-marie-baker-and-mr-justice-brian-j.-mcgovern |url-status=live }} He retired as a judge in March 2020.{{cite news |title=Tributes paid to Justice Brian McGovern on his final day on the bench |url=https://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/ireland/tributes-paid-to-justice-brian-mcgovern-on-his-final-day-on-the-bench-987573.html |accessdate=12 March 2020 |work=www.irishexaminer.com |date=12 March 2020 |language=en}}
= CervicalCheck Tribunal =
Following his retirement, he continues to serve in a judicial function as a member of the three-judge statutory tribunal into matters arising from the CervicalCheck cancer scandal with chairperson Ann Power and Tony O'Connor.{{cite news |title=Two more judges appointed to CervicalCheck Tribunal |url=https://www.rte.ie/news/2020/0731/1156777-cervicalcheck-tribunal-appointments/ |accessdate=31 July 2020 |work=RTÉ News |date=31 July 2020 |language=en |archive-date=2 August 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200802012652/https://www.rte.ie/news/2020/0731/1156777-cervicalcheck-tribunal-appointments/ |url-status=live }}
References
{{reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:McGovern, Brian}}
Category:Alumni of University College Dublin
Category:Judges of the Court of Appeal (Ireland)
Category:High Court judges (Ireland)
Category:People educated at Castleknock College
Category:21st-century Irish judges
Category:20th-century Irish lawyers