Ireland Law Libraries

Law libraries in Ireland and the United States have copies of law books relating to Ireland. These works often give rich genealogical details about the affairs of families whose court case set a law precedent that distinguished a point of law at that time. Using these works to identify names, relationships, and dates of events can add rich genealogical information to your family tree.

Introduction
Conducting Irish genealogical research in a law library is generally for those with intermediate to advanced skills. However, anyone can search the Nominate Reports for names or families of interest in a specific area. In some instances there may be a family story indicating that there was a legal dispute over property in Ireland. While not all cases were recorded in the reports, those that set a precedent were summarized and published year-by-year.

Law libraries can be intimidating if you do not have a research plan and specific objectives. The reference staff typically does not assist family historians and rarely understands the research perspective from which you are approaching your investigation. With that in mind, the information in this Wiki page may help you with crafting your research strategy and identify specific items to request in your law library research. With this information, the staff will be very able to assist you.

Nominate Reports
Nominate Reports are similar to the Case Reporters in the United States. The term "nominate" came from the Latin nōmināri meaning "name" and was used to describe the summary judgments. It referred to the name of the person who actually wrote the reports.

All Courts
There are Nominate Reports covering all courts for the years 1798-1810; 1827-1838; and 1840-1841.

Appeals and Writs of Error
As the name suggests, these were writs issued in error by the law court or sovereign and the defendant is appealing the action.

Chancery
The Court of Chancery prepared important documents, writs and letters patent to which a seal was affixed. Chancery also played an equitable jurisdiction in cases or disputes in which no remedy was to be found in Common Law. The Nominate Reports for Chancery cases cover the years 1766-1791; 1802-1846; and 1850-1866.

Circuit Cases
The Nominate Reports for the Circuit Courts cover the years 1837-1846.

Common Law
The Nominate Reports for the Common Law Court cover the years 1604-1612; 1827-1831; and 1850-1879.

Common Pleas
Land disputes were the most common cases tried in the Court of Common Pleas and the most probable court for the names of commoners to be listed. The Nominate Reports for Common Pleas cover the years 1839-1840. For cases in other years, refer to the Exchequer Court.

Crown Cases
The Nominate Reports for the Crown Court cover the years 1767; and 1822-1840.

Ecclesiastical
These "courts dealt largely with marriage and testamentary matters, ecclesiastical administration, cases of clerical misconduct, defamation and suites for the payment of tithe." (Byrne, Joseph, Byrne's Dictionary of Local History, p. 105). There were twenty-six ecclesiastical courts and a Prerogative Court in Ireland.

Exchequer
Cases involving the receipt and payment of money and the auditing of accounts were handled by the Court of the Exchequer. The records were kept or enrolled on the pipe and memoranda rolls. The Nominate Reports for the Court of Exchequer cover the years 1867-1878.

King's/Queen's Bench
This court presided over criminal cases and offences against the King's peace. The Nominate Reports for the King's/Queen's Bench cover the years 1604-1612; 1786-1788; 1793-1795; 1798-1834; 1838-1842; and 1846-1848. Nisi Prius is a Latin term denoting all legal actions tried before the judges of the King’s Bench.

Registry Cases
The Nominate Reports for the Registry cases cover the years 1832-1840.

Rolls Court
The Nominate Reports for the Rolls Court cover the years 1816-1834; and 1840-1842.

Miscellaneous
Abbreviations in the "Availability" column:

Irish Statutes
Irish Statutes are the laws by which Ireland is governed. "A persistent question throughout Irish history concerned the power of the Irish Parliament and the debate over whether other institutions, i.e., the Westminster Parliament, and the right to legislate for Ireland. The Irish Parliament existed from the thirteenth century through the Act of Union in 1800, but was always considered, at least by the English, as subordinate to the Westminster Parliament. One of the key developments in this area was the passage of Poynings' Law in 1495, which required the Irish to obtain permission from the king and council to hold parliament, and that all proposed statues be approved by the king and his council.

"In 1719, the English Parliament passed the Declaratory Act (6 Geo., c. 5, 1719, England), which attempted to end the debate by stating that the Parliament at Westminster had the power to legislate for Ireland. However, only sixty years later, in 1782, the Repealing Act (22 Geo. 3, c. 52, 1782, England) repealed the Declaratory Act and gave sole power for Irish legislation to the Irish Parliament. The brief period from 1782 until the Act of Union in 1800 is known as 'Grattan's Parliament.' In 1800 the Irish Parliament agreed to vote itself out of existence by approving the Act of Union with Great Britain (39 & 40 Geo. 3, c.67, 1800, England). From then until the Irish declared independence in 1919 and set up the Dáil Eireanne, Irish M.P.s sat in the Parliament at Westminster."

In 1985, the Irish Parliament in the Republic of Ireland reviewed and revamped many, if not all, of the Irish Statutes that were created prior to Ireland's Independence in 1922.

Inns of Court - Admission Registers

 * Society of King's Inn, Dublin - founded in 1541, by a group of judges and prominent lawyers who leased property on the north side of the River Liffey. It was modeled after the English Inns of Court with several significant exceptions. 1) From its inception, an attorney or barrister could not practice the law in Ireland without spending at least some years in one of the English Inns, and 2) English Inns could admit members and call them to the bar. In Ireland however, the Irish society could admit members, but they had to be called to the bar by a Chief Justice. For a list of attorneys and barristers admitted to King's Inn, see Keane, Edward, P. Beryl Phair and Thomas U. Sadlier, editors. King's Inn Admission Papers 1607-1867. Dublin: Dublin Stationery Office for the Irish Manuscripts Commission, 1982. See also: Ferguson, Kenneth, ed. King's Inns Barristers 1868-2004. Dublin: The Honorable Society of King's Inns, 2005.


 * The Middle Temple, London - “Although no exact date can be given, it is believed that the Middle Temple and the remaining three Inns of Court were established by the middle of the 14th Century. The Inn's name derives from the Knights Templar who were in the possession of the Temple site for some 150 years. The origins of the Inn can be traced from two roots: the occupation of the Knights Templar and the replacement of the priestly lawyers by a lay profession.” For a list of admissions to the Middle Temple, London, see: Sturgess, H. A. C. Register of admissions to the Honourable Society of the Middle Temple, from the fifteenth century to the year 1944. 3 volumes. London: Honourable Society of the Middle Temple, 1949. Volume 1, 1501-1781; volume 2, 1782-1909; volume 3, 1910-1944. (FHL call no. British 942.1/L1 C4st vol. 1-3 and on FS Library microfilms Vols. 1-2 on 873,850, items 1-2 and Vol. 3 on 873,851, item 1).


 * Lincoln's Inn, London - The Honourable Society of Lincoln's Inn is said to take its name from Henry de Lacy, third Earl of Lincoln, who died in 1311. His own great house was adjacent and he is credited with being the Society's patron. Although the other three Inns of Court are of comparable antiquity, having evolved from uncertain origins in the fourteenth century, Lincoln's Inn can claim the oldest extant records, the Black Books, which record its principal activities from 1422 to this day. For a list of admissions to Lincoln’s Inn, see: The Records of the Honourable Society of Lincoln’s Inn; vol. 1 from 1420 to 1799, vol. II admissions from 1800 to 1893 and chapel registers. London: Lincoln’s Inn, 1896-1902. FS Library microfilm (only) volumes 1 (1422-1586) and 2 (1586-1660) 845,175 and volumes 3 (1660-1775) and 4 (1776-1845 with calls to the bar) 845,176.


 * Gray's Inn, London - It is clear that Gray’s Inn was in existence as early as 1388 since that is the first record of members graduating as Serjeants-at-law. “Between 1680 and 1687 there were three disastrous fires in Gray's Inn. That of 1684 was particularly grievous for it burnt the Library, which was then on the present site of No 1 Gray's Inn Square, and that is probably when [the] ancient records were lost.” For a list of admissions to Gray’s Inn, see: Foster, J. The Register of Admissions to Gray’s Inn 1521-1889 together with the marriages in Gray’s Inn Chapel 1695-1754. London: Hansard Publishing Union, 1889. FHL British 942.1/G1 K29f and FS Library microfilm 844,906, item 1; second microfilm copy 1,696,584, item 3.


 * The Inner Temple, London - “The history of the Temple begins soon after the middle of the twelfth century, when a contingent of knights of the Military Order of the Temple of Solomon in Jerusalem moved from the Old Temple in Holborn (later Southampton House) to a larger site between Fleet Street and the banks of the River Thames. The new site originally included much of what is now Lincoln's Inn, and the knights were probably responsible for establishing New Street (later Chancery Lane), which led from Holborn down to their new quarters." For a list of admissions, see: Students admitted to the Inner Temple 1547-1660. London: Inner Temple, 1877. The registers for the later years are only available at the Inner Temple. The FHL does not have copies of the published register for 1547-1660.


 * Inns of Chancery - There were a number of Inns of Chancery associated with the principle inns named above. Students admitted to these Inns might become solicitors or proctors, however, many may also be found in the records of the Inns of Court where they were trained to become barristers. By the year 1900, the last of these Inns, i.e. Clement’s Inn, had closed. Admission registers are available for some of the Inns. Associated with Lincoln’s Inn were Thavy’s Inn and Furnivall’s Inn; Inner Temple were Clifford’s Inn, Clement’s Inn, and Lyon’s Inn; Middle Temple were New Inn and Strand Inn; and Gray’s Inn were Staple Inn and Barnard’s Inn.


 * Law Lists - are a chronological record of barristers and solicitors in Ireland. These have been published annually since 1775.

Source Citations for Legal Materials
Abbreviations for Nominate Reports - The name of the report is always abbreviated. The more common abbreviations are listed in the following table: Page Numbers - In legal records and in citing cases from the Nominate Reports, always cite the printed page number.

Volume Numbers - Depending on the format of the volumes, you may or may not need to cite the year in addition to the volume number. In instances when volume numbers are used, primarily after 1878 when the Law Reports were instituted, only the volume number is necessary. In earlier years when there were no consecutive volume numbers, the year must be included. To cite the year properly, see brackets below.

Brackets - When citing the year in legal documents, square [] and round brackets have special significance. When using the [] bracket, it indicates that the year has special significance in citing the reference and the year must be included in the reference. In instances when brackets are used, it indicates that the year is not an essential part of the reference, but may be included for clarification purposes.

Italics - The names of parties, including the 'v' are italicized. For example Hawkshaw v. Rencher.

Websites

 * Guide to Irish Law by Dr. Darius Whelan https://www.nyulawglobal.org/globalex/Ireland.html