The High Court
The High Court is presided over by the President of the High Court and has the power to determine, subject to appeal, all matters and questions, whether law or fact, civil and criminal.
Matters dealt with by the High Court
The High Court has the power to determine the validity of any law having regard to the constitution. It hears civil and family law appeals from the Circuit Court. Although the High Court normally sits in Dublin, it also sits in circuit throughout the country at various times during the year.
Visit the High Court website
High Court records in the National Archives
High Court files only exist from 1926, as prior to this date all document types were bound separately by type (i.e. all affidavits were bound together). National Archives holds records from the High Court up to 1970.
The four main series of records from the High Court are:
- Plenary Summons files
- Summary Summons files
- Special Summons files
- State Side files
Plenary and Summary files
Plenary and Summary files usually relate to civil disputes between individuals or between an organisation, such as a company, and one or more individuals. Plenary Summonses are issued where there are to be pleadings and a hearing on oral evidence. Summary Summonses are issued when it is not envisaged that there will be pleadings and that the issue will be heard on affidavit with or without oral evidence.
Special Summons files
Procedure by Special Summons was introduced in 1962. It is used in specified circumstances such as in certain areas of (a) the administration of deceased persons estates; (b) property dealings; (c) trusts; (d) minors.
State Side files
State Side files relate to matters where the High Court exercised its supervisory jurisdiction and/ or superior powers over the lower courts, for example Orders of Habeus Corpus, Certiorari, Mandamus and Prohibition, Attachment for Contempt and bail applications of persons in custody. Substantial changes to procedures in these areas were made in the 1986 revision of the Rules of the Superior Courts, including the deletion of the term “State Side.”
Other categories
Other categories of records from the High Court include:
- Appeals from the Circuit Court
- Motions and Summonses
- Matrimonial and Revenue cases
- Orders without supporting files
Family law, also known as matrimonial law cases, heard in the High Court and held by the National Archives are closed to the public. They can only be accessed with the permission of the Registrar in the Central Office of the High Court.
How to access High Court records
The finding aids for High Court records are located in the Reading Room. They are not searchable in our online catalogue.
- The records are in blue folders, arranged alphabetically by type
- To access individual records, such as plenary and summary files, researchers must first consult the relevant Cause Book for the year the case was initiated to obtain the individual case file number
- Researchers can then order the case file they require
Records of the High Court on Circuit are kept by the Circuit Court Office of the county in which the hearing takes place. To access these records, researchers should consult the finding aids for the relevant Circuit Court.
How to order records
To request High Court records complete an order docket in the Reading Room.
Please include the following:
- The reference for the High Court (NAI/CS/HC/) or the High Court on Circuit (NAI/CS/CC/)
- The file reference found in the Cause Books
- The description of the document as given in the finding aid, including the covering dates
Waiting times
The majority of the records of the High Court up to the late 1960s are stored in our Four Courts repository.
These can take up to two days to produce if ordered in person, or three working days if requested by email. Further information is available in ordering archives.
Central Criminal Court
The High Court that hears criminal matters is known as the Central Criminal Court. In criminal matters, a High Court judge sits with a jury of twelve. A person refused bail in the District Court can apply to the High Court for bail, or if granted bail they can apply to vary the conditions of the bail. The Central Criminal Court also hears cases relating to treason, offences relating to the obstruction of government or the president, murder, attempted murder or conspiracy to murder, rape, sexual assault, piracy and offences under the Genocide Act 1973.
National Archives holds records for the Central Criminal Court from 1924 to 1968. The main record series are cause books, known as Trial Record Books and files.
Finding aids:
- The finding aid is in a blue folder in the Reading Room and is arranged alphabetically by county
- Files are listed by the county in which the case originated
- To locate a file, researchers will first need to consult the Trial Record Book for the relevant year to obtain the reference number of the file
How to order records
To request a record, complete an order docket and include the court reference code (NAI/CS/CCC) followed by the details given in the finding aid, including the covering dates.
Records of the Central Criminal Court are stored in our Four Courts repository and take up to two days to produce if ordered in person, or three working days if requested by email.
Researchers should be mindful that records of the Central Criminal Court contain high levels of personal and sensitive information, which some may find upsetting. They also contain terminology which is now considered outdated and may be offensive.
Court of Criminal Appeal
The office of the Court of Criminal Appeal deals with appeals from persons convicted of a crime by the Central Criminal Court, the Circuit (Criminal) Court or the Special Criminal Court. For an appeal, a person has obtained a certificate from the trial judge that the case is suitable for appeal or such a certificate is refused, provided the Court of Criminal Appeal itself grants such leave to appeal.
The Court of Criminal Appeal also hears applications from the Director of Public Prosecutions to review sentences they deem unduly lenient and acts as an appeal court for court martials.
The main records of the Court of Criminal Appeal are:
• Appeal Books, 1924–1974
These are the Cause Books listing cases in chronological order. The case numbers and the names of the appellants have been transcribed from these volumes and the transcription is in a blue folder in the Reading Room.
• Order Books, 1924–1972
These books contain copies of the orders made by the court. There are approximately 20 orders per book and there is an alphabetical index at the back of each volume.
• Files, 1924–1972 and a separate collection of Orders arranged in chronological order dating from the 1920s to the 1970s
There is a file for every case dealt with by the court. The contents of the files include correspondence, particulars of trial, notices of appeal, transcripts, case notes and schedules of documents.
Finding aids
- Located in a blue folder in the Reading Room
- Lists all case files chronologically by the appellant’s name from 1924 to 1972
How to order a record
Complete an order docket with the file reference, name and date as listed in the finding aid (NAI/HC/CCA).
- Records are stored in our Four Courts repository
- Records take up to two days to produce if ordered in person
- If requested by email, records take three working days
For more details, please refer to the ordering archives section.
Please note: Researchers should be mindful that records of the Court of Criminal Appeal contain high levels of personal and sensitive information, which some may find upsetting.
They also contain terminology which is now considered outdated and may be offensive.
Special Criminal Court
The Special Criminal Court was first established in 1939. It deals with serious crimes such as paramilitary, subversive and organised crimes.
National Archives holds a small amount of records for this court for the 1930s and 1940s, at present they are closed to the public.
Supreme Court Records
The Supreme Court is the final court of appeal in the State and consists of the Chief Justice and seven ordinary judges. The Supreme Court has the power to decide whether a Bill which has been passed by the Seanad or Dáil, and has been presented to the President of Ireland for signature, is incompatible with the Constitution. The Supreme Court also decides civil and criminal matters, with the Court of Criminal Appeal dealing with criminal matters.
The main records of the Supreme Court are in volume format and are comprised of:
- Books of Appeal, 1922–1970, except 1955–1959
- Notices of Appeal, 1921–1927
- Judgements/ Orders, 1922–1958
- Judges’ declarations on taking office, 1924–1927
Finding Aids
- The finding aid for the Supreme Court is a bound volume located in the Reading Room
- An alphabetical index by subject is available at the front of the volume
How to order records
- Complete an order docket with the court reference code (NAI/CS/SC/) and the document description as listed in the finding aid, including the covering dates
- Supreme Court records are stored in our Four Courts repository
- Records take up to two days to produce if ordered in person
- If requested by email, records take three working days
For more details, please refer to how to order archives.