Marie Baker
{{short description|Irish Court of Appeal judge since 2018}}
{{for|the poet and author|Marie Annharte Baker}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2021}}
{{Use Hiberno-English|date=June 2021}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| image = Marie Baker, 2014 (cropped).jpg
| caption = Baker in 2014
| office = Judge of the Supreme Court
| term_start = 2 December 2019
| term_end = 15 April 2024{{Cite web|url=https://services.courts.ie/docs/default-source/default-document-library/o%27donnell-cj_tribute-to-baker-j.pdf|title=Tribute to Ms Justice Marie Baker}}
| nominator = Government of Ireland
| appointer = Michael D. Higgins
| office1 = Judge of the Court of Appeal
| term_start1 = 28 June 2018
| term_end1 = 2 December 2019
| nominator1 = Government of Ireland
| appointer1 = Michael D. Higgins
| office2 = Judge of the High Court
| term_start2 = 8 January 2014
| term_end2 = 28 June 2018
| nominator2 = Government of Ireland
| appointer2 = Michael D. Higgins
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1954|2|6|df=y}}
| birth_place = Dublin, Ireland
| death_date =
| death_place =
| spouse =
| children =
| alma_mater = {{Ubl|University College Cork|King's Inns}}
|}}
Marie Baker (born 6 February 1954) is an Irish judge who served as a Judge of the Supreme Court from 2019 to 2024, a Judge of the Court of Appeal from 2018 to 2019, and a Judge of the High Court from 2014 to 2018.
Early career
Baker was educated at University College Cork, where she received BA, MA and BCL degrees.{{cite web |title=Who's Who in Law |url=https://www.ucc.ie/en/alumni/benefits/who/law/ |website=UCC School of Law |accessdate=21 May 2019 |archive-date=23 June 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190623182342/https://www.ucc.ie/en/alumni/benefits/who/law/ |url-status=live }} She later attended and studied at the King's Inns and became a barrister in 1984 and a senior counsel in 2004.{{cite web |title=Appointments to the High Court |url=https://merrionstreet.ie/en/News-Room/Releases/appointments-to-the-high-court-2.html |publisher=Irish Government News Service |accessdate=21 May 2019 |archive-date=16 May 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190516220425/https://merrionstreet.ie/en/News-Room/Releases/appointments-to-the-high-court-2.html |url-status=live }} Her practice predominantly focused on commercial law, conveyancing, family law and litigation. She specialised on cases involving the National Asset Management Agency towards the end of her career as a barrister.{{cite news |last1=Sheehy |first1=Clodagh |title=Court in succession: Family affair at Aras as judges appointed |url=https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/court-in-succession-family-affair-at-aras-as-judges-appointed-29900854.html |accessdate=21 May 2019 |work=Irish Independent |date=9 January 2014 |archive-date=29 June 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190629211353/https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/court-in-succession-family-affair-at-aras-as-judges-appointed-29900854.html |url-status=live }} She was a member of the Study Group on Pre-nuptial Agreements, which reported to the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform in 2007.{{cite web |title=Report of Study Group on Pre-nuptial Agreements Published |url=http://www.justice.ie/en/JELR/Pages/Report-of-study-group-on-pre-nuptial-agreements-published |website=Department of Justice and Equality |accessdate=21 May 2019 |archive-date=19 October 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191019010138/http://www.justice.ie/en/JELR/Pages/Report-of-study-group-on-pre-nuptial-agreements-published |url-status=live }} She has previously acted as a part-time commissioner of the Law Reform Commission and lectured in several areas of law.{{cite news |last1=Bohan |first1=Christine |title=Here are the three new judges appointed to the High Court today |url=https://www.thejournal.ie/new-high-court-judges-1254870-Jan2014/ |accessdate=21 May 2019 |work=TheJournal.ie |date=8 January 2014 |ref=Journal 2013 |archive-date=16 May 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190516220428/https://www.thejournal.ie/new-high-court-judges-1254870-Jan2014/ |url-status=live }}
Judicial career
=High Court=
She was appointed to the High Court in January 2014.{{cite web |title=President Appoints Judges of the High Court |url=https://president.ie/en/news/article/president-appoints-judges-of-the-high-court-1 |publisher=President.ie |accessdate=21 May 2019 |archive-date=16 May 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190516220427/https://president.ie/en/news/article/president-appoints-judges-of-the-high-court-1 |url-status=live }} She sat in on a three-judge division of the High Court in December 2014 in the case of PP v. HSE.{{cite news |last1=Baker |first1=Noel |last2=Managh |first2=Ray |title=Unborn baby gets barrister for court battle |url=https://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/unborn-baby-gets-barrister-for-court-battle-303900.html |accessdate=21 May 2019 |work=Irish Examiner |date=23 December 2014 |archive-date=31 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160331154527/http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/unborn-baby-gets-barrister-for-court-battle-303900.html |url-status=live }}
=Court of Appeal=
Baker was elevated 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 |website=President.ie |accessdate=21 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 }} She holds a statutory position as the designated judge for the purpose of two acts: the Interception of Postal Packets and Telecommunications Messages (Regulation) Act 1993 and the Communications (Retention of Data) Act 2011. In this role she produces an annual report for the Oireachtas.{{cite news |title=Ms Justice Baker calls for urgent revision of data retention laws |url=https://www.irishlegal.com/article/ms-justice-baker-calls-for-urgent-revision-of-data-retention-laws |accessdate=21 May 2019 |work=Irish Legal News |date=22 October 2018 |archive-date=23 September 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210923025921/https://www.irishlegal.com/articles/ms-justice-baker-calls-for-urgent-revision-of-data-retention-laws |url-status=live }} She also communicates with the Taoiseach in relation to privacy and interception of communications issues.{{cite web |title=Interception of Postal Packets and Telecommunications Messages (Regulation) Act, 1993 |url=http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/1993/act/10/enacted/en/print.html |website=Irish Statute Book |accessdate=21 May 2019 |archive-date=8 December 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191208032356/http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/1993/act/10/enacted/en/print.html |url-status=live }}
=Supreme Court=
She was appointed to the Supreme Court in December 2019.{{cite web |title=Diary President Appoints Judges To The Supreme Court And The High Court Dec 2019 |url=https://president.ie/en/diary/details/president-appoints-judges-to-the-supreme-court-and-the-high-court-dec-2019 |website=president.ie |publisher=Office of the President of Ireland |accessdate=3 December 2019 |language=en |archive-date=10 December 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201210040750/https://president.ie/en/diary/details/president-appoints-judges-to-the-supreme-court-and-the-high-court-dec-2019 |url-status=live }} Her appointment followed the retirement of Susan Denham in 2018.{{cite news |title=Judges nominated for appointment to Supreme, Circuit and District Courts |url=https://www.lawsociety.ie/gazette/top-stories/judges-nominated-for-appointment--to-supreme-circuit-and-district-courts/ |accessdate=3 December 2019 |work=Law Society Gazette |date=27 November 2019 |archive-date=3 December 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191203183806/https://www.lawsociety.ie/gazette/top-stories/judges-nominated-for-appointment--to-supreme-circuit-and-district-courts/ |url-status=live }} Her first sitting on the court occurred on 16 January 2020, marking the first time four women had sat together on the Supreme Court.{{cite news |title=Supreme Court sits with four women judges in landmark moment |url=https://www.irishlegal.com/article/supreme-court-sits-with-four-women-judges-in-landmark-moment |accessdate=16 January 2020 |work=Irish Legal News |language=en |archive-date=16 January 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200116135414/https://www.irishlegal.com/article/supreme-court-sits-with-four-women-judges-in-landmark-moment |url-status=live }}
Baker is the Assigned Judge for the Irish courts to supervise the use of personal data while courts act in their judicial capacity.{{cite web |title=Data Protection Complaints Procedure |url=https://beta.courts.ie/data-protection-complaints-procedure |website=Courts.ie |accessdate=20 July 2020 |archive-date=20 July 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200720185614/https://beta.courts.ie/data-protection-complaints-procedure |url-status=live }}
Electoral Commission
Baker also serves as chairperson of the Electoral Commission of Ireland. Chief Justice Donal O'Donnell appointed her to that position when the commission was established in 2023.{{Cite web|title=Members of the Commission |url=https://www.electoralcommission.ie/who-we-are/members-of-the-commission/ |website=The Electoral Commission |accessdate=4 November 2023}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Judges of the Supreme Court of Ireland}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Baker, Maries}}
Category:High Court judges (Ireland)
Category:Alumni of University College Cork
Category:21st-century Irish judges
Category:20th-century Irish lawyers
Category:Judges of the Court of Appeal (Ireland)
Category:Alumni of King's Inns
Category:Judges of the Supreme Court of Ireland