THE SUPREME Court has reserved judgment on an appeal by the widow of the late TD Liam Lawlor against the High Court’s rejection of her legal challenge to the Mahon tribunal.
Hazel Lawlor is seeking to prevent the tribunal making serious findings of misconduct against either herself or her husband unless proven on the basis of the criminal standard of proof – beyond reasonable doubt.
The High Court last year rejected her argument that the tribunal is not entitled to make such findings on the basis of the civil standard of proof – on the balance of probabilities.
She also failed to secure an order requiring the tribunal to fund “effective” legal representation for her.
An appeal against that decision was heard yesterday before a five-judge Supreme Court presided over by the Chief Justice, Mr Justice John Murray, sitting with Mrs Justice Susan Denham, Mr Justice Hugh Geoghegan, Mr Justice Nial Fennelly and Mr Justice Nicholas Kearns. The judges reserved their decision to a later date.
Ms Lawlor, who was granted limited representation by tribunal chairman Judge Alan Mahon in November 2005, is a witness at the Quarryvale II Module of the tribunal.
Her involvement is limited to lodgements made to her personal accounts between 1991 and 1995.
Her late husband died in a car crash in Moscow in October 2005.
