Declan Morgan
Sir Declan Morgan PC | |
|---|---|
| Lord Chief Justice of Northern Ireland | |
| In office 3 July 2009 – 30 June 2021 | |
| Nominated by | Gordon Brown |
| Appointed by | Elizabeth II |
| Preceded by | Sir Brian Kerr |
| Succeeded by | Dame Siobhan Keegan |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Charles Declan Morgan January 14, 1951 |
| Spouse | Adrienne Morgan |
| Children | 3 |
| Alma mater | Peterhouse, Cambridge Queen's University, Belfast |
| Profession | Barrister |
Sir Charles Declan Morgan (born 14 January 1951) is a judge from Northern Ireland.[1] He was Lord Chief Justice of Northern Ireland from 2009 to 2021 and was appointed to the supplementary panel of the Supreme Court in September 2021.
Early life
Morgan was born in 1951 and was educated at St Columb's College in Derry. He then was educated at Peterhouse, Cambridge, and Queen's University, Belfast.[2] He was called to the Bar of Northern Ireland in 1976 and became a Queen's Counsel in 1994. Between 2002 and 2004, he was Senior Crown Counsel for Northern Ireland.[3] He also served for a time as Judge-In-Residence at the School of Law of Queen's University Belfast.[4]
Judicial career
In 2004, Morgan was appointed a judge of the High Court and knighted. 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.[5] In 2007, he was appointed to the Family Division of the Court, and in 2008 moved to hearing cases for judicial review.[3]
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.[5] He was sworn into office on 3 July 2009.[6]
On 10 February 2010, Morgan was sworn of Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council. Morgan retired as lord chief justice in June 2021.[7] He was appointed to the supplementary panel of the Supreme Court, on which he had served while lord chief justice, in September 2021.[8]
In May 2024, Morgan became chief commissioner of the Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery (ICRIR).[9]
Personal life
Sir Declan is married with three children.
References
- ^ "First Lady Chief Justice sworn into office". 2 September 2021.
- ^ "MORGAN, Hon. Sir (Charles) Declan". Oxford University Press. December 2008. Retrieved 4 July 2009.
- ^ a b "Morgan set to become North's chief justice". The Irish Times. 6 June 2009. Retrieved 4 July 2009.
- ^ "The Honourable Mr Justice Morgan". Queen's University Belfast. Archived from the original on 23 May 2009. Retrieved 4 July 2009.
- ^ a b "Lord Chief Justice of Northern Ireland". 10 Downing Street. 18 June 2009. Archived from the original on 13 July 2011. Retrieved 4 July 2009.
- ^ "New Lord Chief Justice appointed". UTV News. 3 July 2009. Archived from the original on 25 July 2011. Retrieved 4 July 2009.
- ^ 'NI: Tributes paid to Sir Declan Morgan as he retires as Lord Chief Justice'. Irish Legal News, 1 July 2021. Retrieved 12 March 2026
- ^ 'Lady Black and Sir Declan Morgan appointed to the Supplementary Panel of the UK Supreme Court'. The Supreme Court, 31 August 2021. Retrieved 12 March 2026
- ^ Jonathan McCambridge, 'Head of legacy body tells Strasbourg its work will be human-rights compliant'. The Standard, 27 May 2024. Retrieved 12 March 2026