Appealing the Decision in a Civil Case
Information
If you are unhappy with the result of your case, you may wish to appeal your case to a higher court. It will mean going through the entire process all over again.
If your case was commenced in the District Court, it can be appealed to the Circuit Court. A case commenced in the Circuit Court may be appealed to the High Court. A High Court case may be appealed to the Supreme Court.
You may choose to appeal the original judge's decision in its entirety, i.e., his/her decision on who was to blame and the damages awarded (if they were awarded), in which case the Appeal Court may
- agree with the decision of the original court and uphold it or
- disagree with the decision of the original court and overturn it or
- increase or decrease the amount of damages awarded
If you are happy with decision made by the original judge in relation to who was at fault but unhappy with the amount of damages he/she has awarded, you may appeal the amount of damages awarded only. Then the appeal court may either increase or decrease the amount of damages awarded by the original judge.
If you lose your appeal, you will have to pay the costs of both sides so any offers to settle made by the other side should be seriously considered.
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Related Documents
- High Court
The High Court has jurisdiction in criminal and civil cases in Ireland. Find out where, and how matters are heard in this court. - Commencing proceedings in your civil case
This document explains the basis steps involved in taking a civil case in Ireland. - Circuit Court
The Circuit Court is a court of local and limited jurisdiction. Ireland is divided into 8 circuits for the purpose of this Court.
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