Supreme Court of Judicature (Ireland) Act, 1887

SUPREME COURT OF JUDICATURE (IRELAND) ACT 1887

CHAPTER VI.

An Act to amend the Supreme Court of Judicature Act (Ireland), 1877. [23rd May 1887.]

Abolition of distinctions between certain judgeships.

1. The office of Chief Justice of the Common Pleas, and on the occasion of the first vacancy after the passing of this Act in the office of Chief Baron of the Exchequer, the said office of Chief Baron of the Exchequer, shall be reduced to an equality with the offices of the puisne judges of the High Court, by the abolition of the rank and title of Lord Chief Justice of the Common Pleas in the first case, and Lord Chief Baron of the Exchequer in the latter case, and of all other distinctions between the office of the judge who may be appointed to fill the office of Chief Justice of the Common Pleas, vacant at the time of the passing of this Act, or the office of Chief Baron of the Exchequer, when the same may become vacant, and the offices of the puisne judges of the High Court, and between the salary, pension, and patronage attached to such office, and the salaries, pensions, and patronage of the puisne judges of the High Court.

[S. 2 rep. 60 & 61 Vict. c. 66, s. 16.]

Transfer of powers.

3. The Lord Chief Justice shall be capable of exercising all powers and authorities which, by any law or custom have heretofore been exercised by the Chief Justice of the Common Pleas, and from and after the first vacancy which shall occur in the office of Chief Baron of the Exchequer, shall be capable of exercising all powers and authorities which by any law or custom shall theretofore have been exercised by the Chief Baron of the Exchequer.

Alteration in the number of judges required for certain functions.

40 & 41 Vict. c. 57.

45 & 46 Vict. c. 70.

4. All the powers and functions which may be exercised and all the matters and things which may be done by the Lord Chancellor, the Chief Justice, the Chief Justice of the Common Pleas, and the Chief Baron, or any three or any two of such persons of whom the Lord Chancellor shall be one, as enacted by the seventy-second and seventy-third sections of the Supreme Court of Judicature Act (Ireland), 1877, and by the Supreme Court of Judicature (Ireland) Act, 1882, may be exercised by the Lord Chancellor and the Chief Justice, and the Chief Baron of the Exchequer, or any two of them, of whom the Lord Chancellor shall be one, . . . . [1 subject, however, to the conditions imposed by those enactments with reference to the concurrence of the Treasury and otherwise.

Interpretation.

5. In this Act the expression puisne judges of the High Court shall mean judges of the High Court who are not ex-officio judges of the Court of Appeal; other terms and expressions used in this Act shall have the same meanings respectively as in the Supreme Court of Judicature Act (Ireland), 1877; and the last-mentioned Act and this Act shall be construed together.

Short title.

6. This Act may be cited as the Supreme Court of Judicature (Ireland) Act, 1887.

[1 As to the exercise of these powers, &c., on the occurrence of a vacancy in the office of Lord Chief Baron, see 60 & 61 Vict. c. 66, s. 11.]