District Courts role questioned

A Circuit Court judge said yesterday he was fast coming to the conclusion the District Courts should be wound up apart from dealing…

A Circuit Court judge said yesterday he was fast coming to the conclusion the District Courts should be wound up apart from dealing with minor criminal cases. "No one seems to have the slightest intention of using the District Court for those claims of up to £5,000 for which it was established," Judge James Carroll said.

He was dealing with a £30,000 damages claim for a road traffic whiplash injury. He awarded Mr Peter Penrose, Cherrywood Grove, Clondalkin, Dublin £2,000 and District Court costs.