Law reports from today’s Irish Times:

Data Commissioner’s prosecution can go ahead
Realm Communications Ltd v Data Protection Commissioner: High Court, Judgment was given by Mr Justice McCarthy on 9 January 2009 [2009] IEHC 1

The Data Protection Commissioner did not act unlawfully in issuing summonses against a company using text messages for marketing purposes (Realm) without the consent of the recipients, without having first sought to arrange an amicable resolution between the company and the complainants.


Suspended sentence for burglary not wrong in principle
DPP v de Paor and Zdanowski: Court of Criminal Appeal. Judgment was delivered by Mr Justice Hardiman on 19 December 2008 [2008] IECCA 137

An application by the Director of Public Prosecutions to review the suspended sentence of five years for robbery and false imprisonment imposed on Cuan de Paor – on the grounds that it was unduly lenient – was refused.


Coming to terms with greater role of expert is an edited version of Mrs Justice Fidelma Macken’s remarks at the recent launch of the Law Reform Commission‘s Consultation Paper on expert evidence (pdf).


In short: US Supreme Court upholds immunity of prosecutors [the case is here]; EU Commission criticised; Seminar on construction law; Criminal law conference; Law Society complaints committee; New managing partner at Eversheds


Bonus links from today’s Times Online: Forcing out judges at 70 ‘threatens supreme court’ (the Irish judicial retirement age is also 70); The law lords who served their time (the longest-serving Irish judge was Christopher Palles, Chief Baron of the Exchequer for 42 years between 1874 and 1916).