Miriam O'Regan
{{short description|Irish barrister, High Court judge since 2016}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2021}}
{{Use Hiberno-English|date=June 2021}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific-prefix = The Hon. Ms. Justice
| name = Miriam O'Regan
| image =
| office = Judge of the High Court
| term_start = 26 January 2016
| term_end =
| nominator = Government of Ireland
| appointer = Michael D. Higgins
| birth_date =
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| nationality = Irish
| party =
| spouse =
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| education =
| alma_mater = {{Ubl|University College Cork|King's Inns}}
| signature =
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Miriam O'Regan is an Irish judge who has served as a Judge of the High Court since January 2016.
Early life and career
O'Regan was educated at University College Cork and the King's Inns. She was called to the Bar in 1983 and became a senior counsel in 2014.{{cite web |title=Appointment of President of the High Court and Judges to the High Court, Circuit Court and District Courts |url=https://merrionstreet.ie/en/News-Room/Releases/Appointment_of_President_of_the_High_Court_and_Judges_to_the_High_Court_Circuit_Court_and_District_Courts.html |website=merrionstreet.ie |accessdate=4 July 2020 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20180202012428/https://merrionstreet.ie/en/News-Room/Releases/Appointment_of_President_of_the_High_Court_and_Judges_to_the_High_Court_Circuit_Court_and_District_Courts.html |archivedate=2 February 2018 |language=en}}
Her practice was predominantly based in Cork.{{cite news |last1=Keena |first1=Colm |title=Mr Justice Peter Kelly to be next president of High Court |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/crime-and-law/mr-justice-peter-kelly-to-be-next-president-of-high-court-1.2467740 |accessdate=4 July 2020 |newspaper=The Irish Times |language=en |archive-date=9 October 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161009054619/http://www.irishtimes.com/news/crime-and-law/mr-justice-peter-kelly-to-be-next-president-of-high-court-1.2467740 |url-status=live }} She had experience in the law of property and probate, and in family and commercial law. She has acted in several cases where other parties have engaged in contempt of court.{{cite news |title=Trespasser jailed for refusing to leave house |url=https://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/trespasser-jailed-for-refusing-to-leave-house-250852.html |accessdate=4 July 2020 |work=www.irishexaminer.com |date=27 November 2013 |language=en |archive-date=4 July 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200704223316/https://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/trespasser-jailed-for-refusing-to-leave-house-250852.html |url-status=live }}{{cite news |title=Court releases priest arrested in dispute over woman's will |url=https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/court-releases-priest-arrested-in-dispute-over-womans-will-26451363.html |accessdate=4 July 2020 |work=independent |language=en |archive-date=4 July 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200704203922/https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/court-releases-priest-arrested-in-dispute-over-womans-will-26451363.html |url-status=live }} She appeared for a complainant at the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse.{{cite news |title=Third Interim Report |url=http://www.childabusecommission.ie/publications/documents/abuse.htm |accessdate=4 July 2020 |work=www.childabusecommission.ie |date=22 January 2004 |archive-date=2 November 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191102173342/http://www.childabusecommission.ie/publications/documents/abuse.htm |url-status=live }}
From 1989, she was court counsel for the city and county of Cork.
Judicial career
= High Court =
She became a High Court judge in January 2016.{{cite web |title=Diary President Appoints Miriam Oregan And Michael Twomey As High Court Judges |url=https://president.ie/en/diary/details/president-appoints-miriam-oregan-and-michael-twomey-as-high-court-judges |website=president.ie |accessdate=4 July 2020 |language=en |archive-date=4 July 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200704203508/https://president.ie/en/diary/details/president-appoints-miriam-oregan-and-michael-twomey-as-high-court-judges |url-status=live }} She has heard cases involving property law,{{cite news |last1=Stedman |first1=Gill |title=Occupied house in Dublin vacated after court order |url=https://www.rte.ie/news/dublin/2018/0817/985691-summerhill-house-occupation/ |accessdate=4 July 2020 |work=RTÉ News |date=17 August 2018 |language=en |archive-date=4 July 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200704221746/https://www.rte.ie/news/dublin/2018/0817/985691-summerhill-house-occupation/ |url-status=live }} personal injuries,{{cite news |title=€108k for psychiatric nurse's injuries in fall and car crash |url=https://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/ireland/108k-for-psychiatric-nurses-injuries-in-fall-and-car-crash-958301.html |accessdate=4 July 2020 |work=www.irishexaminer.com |date=19 October 2019 |language=en |archive-date=5 July 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200705010812/https://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/ireland/108k-for-psychiatric-nurses-injuries-in-fall-and-car-crash-958301.html |url-status=live }} judicial review,{{cite news |title=Ryanair loses High Court bid to avoid paying passenger compensation over pilot strike |url=https://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/ireland/ryanair-loses-high-court-bid-to-avoid-paying-passenger-compensation-over-pilot-strike-981381.html |accessdate=4 July 2020 |work=www.irishexaminer.com |date=12 February 2020 |language=en |archive-date=5 July 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200705010725/https://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/ireland/ryanair-loses-high-court-bid-to-avoid-paying-passenger-compensation-over-pilot-strike-981381.html |url-status=live }} insolvency,{{cite news |title=Aviation firm wound up |url=https://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/business/aviation-firm-wound-up-914825.html |accessdate=4 July 2020 |work=www.irishexaminer.com |date=2 April 2019 |language=en |archive-date=4 July 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200704220039/https://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/business/aviation-firm-wound-up-914825.html |url-status=live }} extradition,{{cite news |title=High Court rules Algerian man arrested on suspicion of being involved in terrorism can be deported |url=https://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/ireland/high-court-rules-algerian-man-arrested-on-suspicion-of-being-involved-in-terrorism-can-be-deported-794233.html |accessdate=4 July 2020 |work=www.irishexaminer.com |date=19 June 2017 |language=en |archive-date=4 July 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200704210327/https://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/ireland/high-court-rules-algerian-man-arrested-on-suspicion-of-being-involved-in-terrorism-can-be-deported-794233.html |url-status=live }} injunctions,{{cite news |title=UCC lecturer fails to get injunction over professorial positions decision |url=https://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/ucc-lecturer-fails-to-get-injunction-over-professorial-positions-decision-394168.html |accessdate=4 July 2020 |work=www.irishexaminer.com |date=21 April 2016 |language=en |archive-date=5 July 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200705155402/https://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/ucc-lecturer-fails-to-get-injunction-over-professorial-positions-decision-394168.html |url-status=live }} and defamation.{{cite news |title=Irish boss of Japan stud sues UL and students |url=https://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/irish-boss-of-japan-stud-sues-ul-and-students-405453.html |accessdate=4 July 2020 |work=www.irishexaminer.com |date=17 June 2016 |language=en |archive-date=4 July 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200704213219/https://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/irish-boss-of-japan-stud-sues-ul-and-students-405453.html |url-status=live }}
She has presided over a defamation dispute involving Declan Ganley, Denis O'Brien and Red Flag Consulting.{{cite news |title=Court grants application to join Ganley to action |url=https://www.rte.ie/news/courts/2018/0322/949291-red-flag/ |accessdate=4 July 2020 |work=RTÉ News |date=22 March 2018 |language=en |archive-date=5 July 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200705164559/https://www.rte.ie/news/courts/2018/0322/949291-red-flag/ |url-status=live }} Her experience of other high-profile actions includes the bankruptcy of Seán Dunne,{{cite news |title=Sean Dunne wants 'shackles of bankruptcy' removed |url=https://www.rte.ie/news/business/2016/1017/824742-sean-dunne-needs-shackles-of-bankruptcy-removed/ |accessdate=4 July 2020 |work=RTÉ News |date=17 October 2016 |language=en |archive-date=5 July 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200705004810/https://www.rte.ie/news/business/2016/1017/824742-sean-dunne-needs-shackles-of-bankruptcy-removed/ |url-status=live }} contempt of court by the Irish Independent,{{cite news |last1=O'Donnell |first1=Orla |title=Irish Independent fined €111K over rape trials article |url=https://www.rte.ie/news/courts/2019/0731/1066271-independent-newspapers/ |accessdate=4 July 2020 |date=31 July 2019 |language=en |archive-date=6 July 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200706200045/https://www.rte.ie/news/courts/2019/0731/1066271-independent-newspapers/ |url-status=live }} and an action against Rihanna, who was accused of uttering malicious falsehoods.{{cite news |title=Rihanna to seek strike out of Dublin woman's 'malicious falsehoods' case |url=https://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/ireland/rihanna-to-seek-strike-out-of-dublin-womans-malicious-falsehoods-case-872991.html |accessdate=4 July 2020 |work=www.irishexaminer.com |date=2 October 2018 |language=en |archive-date=4 July 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200704203308/https://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/ireland/rihanna-to-seek-strike-out-of-dublin-womans-malicious-falsehoods-case-872991.html |url-status=live }}
She made a reference to the European Court of Justice in 2019 regarding an environmental law case.{{cite news |title=Case referred to Europe over public access to environmental documents |url=https://greennews.ie/case-europe-legal-docs/ |accessdate=4 July 2020 |work=Green News Ireland |date=11 September 2019 |archive-date=27 October 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201027185117/https://greennews.ie/case-europe-legal-docs/ |url-status=live }}
In 2018, she was one of the judges present for the opening of redevelopment of the courthouse in Cork.{{cite news |last1=Roche |first1=Barry |title=Renovated and extended €34m Cork courthouse unveiled |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/renovated-and-extended-34m-cork-courthouse-unveiled-1.3511614 |accessdate=4 July 2020 |newspaper=The Irish Times |language=en |archive-date=13 August 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200813150123/https://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/renovated-and-extended-34m-cork-courthouse-unveiled-1.3511614 |url-status=live }}
References
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Category:High Court judges (Ireland)
Category:Alumni of University College Cork
Category:Alumni of King's Inns
Category:21st-century Irish judges