District Court judge Heather Perrin has this resigned her post following her conviction on charges of deception last week.
The Courts Service announced in a one-line statement this afternoon that it had been informed Judge Perrin would proffer her immediate resignation from the District Court bench to President Michael D Higgins.
Minister for Justice Alan Shatter later confirmed that the judge had conveyed her resignation to Taoiseach Enda Kenny at 7.30pm for transmission to the President. This is in accordance with the requirements of section 6 (2) of the Courts (Establishment and Constitution) Act 1961.
Mr Shatter said he would make no further comment on the matter prior to the court finalising the case by sentencing this Wednesday.
Last week, Perrin (60), Lambay Court, Malahide, Co Dublin, was convicted of deception by the Circuit Criminal Court. She was found to have induced a client by deception to leave half his estate to her two children when she was working as his solicitor. Judge Mary Ellen Ring released her on bail and she is to be sentenced on Wednesday.
The now former judge is currently on long-term sick leave from her post and she may appeal her conviction of deception to the Court of Criminal Appeal.
She is the first member of the judiciary to be convicted of a serious crime in the history of the State.
Article 35 of the Constitution states that judges “shall not be removed from office except for stated misbehaviour or incapacity” and “then only upon resolutions passed by Dáil Éireann and by Seanad Éireann calling for his removal”.
No judge has yet been removed from office using this process.
