Declan Morgan
Encyclopedia
Sir Charles Declan Morgan, QC
(styled Morgan LCJ) is the current Lord Chief Justice of Northern Ireland
.
, Peterhouse, Cambridge
, and Queen's University, Belfast. He was called to the Bar in 1976 and became a Queen's Counsel
in 1993. Between 2002 and 2004, he was Senior Crown Counsel for Northern Ireland
. He also served for a time as Judge-In-Residence at the School of Law of Queen's University, Belfast.
. He became Chairman of the Law Reform Advisory Committee for Northern Ireland that same year, and in 2007 was appointed Chairman of the Northern Ireland Law Commission. In 2007, he was appointed to the Family Division of the Court, and in 2008 moved to hearing cases for judicial review.
On 18 June 2009, it was announced that Mr Justice Morgan would succeed Sir Brian Kerr as Lord Chief Justice following the latter's appointment as a Lord of Appeal in Ordinary
. He was sworn into office on 3 July 2009.
On 10 February 2010, Morgan was sworn in as a member of Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council.
Queen's Counsel
Queen's Counsel , known as King's Counsel during the reign of a male sovereign, are lawyers appointed by letters patent to be one of Her [or His] Majesty's Counsel learned in the law...
(styled Morgan LCJ) is the current Lord Chief Justice of Northern Ireland
Lord Chief Justice of Northern Ireland
The Lord Chief Justice of Northern Ireland is the head of the judiciary in Northern Ireland, presiding over the Courts of Northern Ireland. The present Lord Chief Justice of Northern Ireland is Sir Declan Morgan...
.
Early life
Morgan was born in 1952 and educated at St Columb's College in DerryDerry
Derry or Londonderry is the second-biggest city in Northern Ireland and the fourth-biggest city on the island of Ireland. The name Derry is an anglicisation of the Irish name Doire or Doire Cholmcille meaning "oak-wood of Colmcille"...
, Peterhouse, Cambridge
Peterhouse, Cambridge
Peterhouse is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England. It is the oldest college of the University, having been founded in 1284 by Hugo de Balsham, Bishop of Ely...
, and Queen's University, Belfast. He was called to the Bar in 1976 and became a Queen's Counsel
Queen's Counsel
Queen's Counsel , known as King's Counsel during the reign of a male sovereign, are lawyers appointed by letters patent to be one of Her [or His] Majesty's Counsel learned in the law...
in 1993. Between 2002 and 2004, he was Senior Crown Counsel for Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
. He also served for a time as Judge-In-Residence at the School of Law of Queen's University, Belfast.
Judicial career
In 2004, Morgan was appointed a judge of the High Court as Mr. Justice Morgan, and knightedKnight Bachelor
The rank of Knight Bachelor is a part of the British honours system. It is the most basic rank of a man who has been knighted by the monarch but not as a member of one of the organised Orders of Chivalry...
. He became Chairman of the Law Reform Advisory Committee for Northern Ireland that same year, and in 2007 was appointed Chairman of the Northern Ireland Law Commission. In 2007, he was appointed to the Family Division of the Court, and in 2008 moved to hearing cases for judicial review.
On 18 June 2009, it was announced that Mr Justice Morgan would succeed Sir Brian Kerr as Lord Chief Justice following the latter's appointment as a Lord of Appeal in Ordinary
Lord of Appeal in Ordinary
Lords of Appeal in Ordinary, commonly known as Law Lords, were appointed under the Appellate Jurisdiction Act 1876 to the House of Lords of the United Kingdom in order to exercise its judicial functions, which included acting as the highest court of appeal for most domestic matters...
. He was sworn into office on 3 July 2009.
On 10 February 2010, Morgan was sworn in as a member of Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council.