The appointment of Queen's Counsel in the High Court in Belfast ran into more trouble yesterday when a third barrister resorted to legal action.
Mr Martin Rodgers, a barrister since 1975, applied for leave to seek a judicial review of his exclusion from the list of QCs appointed recently.
His action follows the judicial review brought by Mr Seamus Treacy and Mr Barry Macdonald, who have refused to be sworn in as QCs because they objected to a declaration they would "well and truly serve Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II".
Their case is due to be mentioned in court again on Monday.
Mr Rodgers is seeking an order to quash the decision of the Lord Chief Justice, Sir Robert Carswell, not to recommend him for appointment as a QC on the grounds that the procedure did not comply with published guidelines.
He maintains that irrelevant criteria were taken into account, including "the number of additions to the Senior Bar we could bear" and a pre-set or otherwise artificial limit.
His case has been adjourned until February 11th.