The Circuit Court is an intermediate level court of local and limited jurisdiction.
On the civil side, the Circuit Court has a considerable parallel jurisdiction — including equitable remedies — with the High Court, but normally cannot award damages of more than €75,000. The Circuit Court also hears appeals from the District Court in both civil and criminal matters.
The civil jurisdiction of the Circuit Court is limited to:
- A compensation claim not exceeding €75,000 (or €60,000 if a claim for damages for personal injuries)
- Actions involving real property with a market value of less than €3 million
However, the parties in a legal action can agree to lift these limits by agreeing to unlimited jurisdiction.
Civil matters heard in the Circuit Court can be appealed to the High Court.
Types of Actions That Can Be Made in the Circuit Civil Court
There are different types of Civil Bills / Personal Injury Summons. Some examples include:
- Personal Injury Summons
- Ordinary Civil Bill
- Equity Civil Bill
- Ejectment Civil Bill
- Landlord and Tenant Civil Bill
- Succession Law Civil Bill
- Testamentary Civil Bill
The Civil Bill / Personal Injury Summons will contain an endorsement of claim which states the details of what is being claimed and alleged.
Other Applications That Can Be Made in the Circuit Civil Court
District Court appeals are heard in the Circuit Court. When hearing appeals, Circuit Court judges have the same powers as a District Court judge and cannot give higher sentences or award more damages than a District Court judge could do.
