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GAZETTE
APRIL
.
1993
High Court Personal Injury
List
A serious problem has arisen as a
consequence of settled cases not
being promptly removed from the
list.
Practitioners are earnestly requested,
when all matters relating to cases in
the High Court Personal Injury List
have been resolved, tor-
fa) obtain from the defendant's
solicitor a letter addressed to The
Chief Registrar, Central Office,
which identifies the case, record
number and list number,
confirming that all matters
relating to this case have been
settled and consenting to the case
being taken out of the list,
(b) arrange for the plaintiff's
solicitor to lodge the letter of the
defendant's solicitor, together
with a similar letter of his own,
in the Central Office.
It should be noted that the
obligation to ensure that the case is
taken out of the list is the
responsibility of the plaintiff's
solicitor.
Litigation
Committee
Road Traffic Act Fees
Practitioners might note that
agreement has not been reached with
the insurance companies in relation
to fees to be paid to practitioners for
attendances at the District Court for
the purpose of defending their
insured in connection with offences
arising out of a road traffic
accident. Similarly fees have not
been agreed in relation to the reports
which insurance companies might
request arising out of such
prosecution. Accordingly, it is a
matter for the practitioner in each
individual case to agree a fee with
the insurance company prior to
attending.
Litigation
Committee
Lloyd's of London - Service
Practitioners are reminded that they
need not enquire about the identity
or the address of Lloyd's
Underwriters or whether or at what
address proceedings will be accepted.
Raymond P. McGovern
is obliged to
accept service in Ireland under
Clause 11 (g) of S.I. No. 115 of
1976, if proceedings are served at his
address below.
He may also be named personally as
a defendant.
The endorsement should state:-
4
'the Defendant is sued in his
capacity as Lloyd's Underwriter's Sole
General Representative in Ireland and
on behalf of certain Underwriters at
Lloyd's subscribing to policy number
Raymond P. McGovern,
Lloyd's Underwriters'
Sole General Representative Ireland,
W.G. Bradley and Sons,
52 Fitzwilliam Square, Dublin 2.
•
Criminal Law Committee News
Increases in Legal Aid Fees
The regulations implementing the
agreement increasing Legal Aid fees
have at last come into operation and
we understand that the payment of
the increases will commence towards
the end of March, 1993. These
increases are, of course, backdated to
1 June, 1992 and there is a smaller
increase backdated to 1 January,
1992. Details can be found in
Statutory Instruments numbers 56
and 57 - 1993. Discussions are
continuing with the Department of
Justice in relation to setting up a
scheme to deal with fees for cases of
special difficulty.
Delays in Payments of Fees
This matter has been discussed with
the Department and we are informed
that there will be no unreasonable
delays in future. If any of our
members experience delays in
payment from, say, 1 May, 1993 they
should contact the Committee.
Michael Staines
Code of Ethics
The Committee is renewing the
whole question of introducing a code
of ethics with specific reference to
the practise of Criminal Law. Any
members with suggestions should
contact the Committee.
Finally, members of the Committee
would like to put on record their
dismay at various remarks
attributed to certain members of the
profession in a recent
Sunday
Business Post
article. These remarks
were a slight both on rural
practitioners and smaller firms
nationwide. We reject them as being
untrue and unfair.
Michael Staines,
Chairman,
Criminal Law
Committee
93