Sir Charles Declan Morgan PC (born 14 January 1951) is a retired judge from Northern Ireland.[1]

Sir Declan Morgan
Lord Chief Justice of Northern Ireland
In office
3 July 2009 – 1 September 2021
Nominated byGordon Brown
Appointed byElizabeth II
Preceded bySir Brian Kerr
Succeeded byDame Siobhan Keegan
Personal details
Born
Charles Declan Morgan

(1951-01-14) January 14, 1951 (age 73)
Derry, Northern Ireland
SpouseAdrienne Morgan
Children3
Alma materPeterhouse, Cambridge
Queen's University, Belfast
ProfessionBarrister

Early life

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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

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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.

Personal life

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Sir Declan is married with three children.

References

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  1. ^ "First Lady Chief Justice sworn into office". 2 September 2021.
  2. ^ "MORGAN, Hon. Sir (Charles) Declan". Oxford University Press. December 2008. Retrieved 4 July 2009.
  3. ^ a b "Morgan set to become North's chief justice". The Irish Times. 6 June 2009. Retrieved 4 July 2009.
  4. ^ "The Honourable Mr Justice Morgan". Queen's University Belfast. Archived from the original on 23 May 2009. Retrieved 4 July 2009.
  5. ^ 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.
  6. ^ "New Lord Chief Justice appointed". UTV News. 3 July 2009. Archived from the original on 25 July 2011. Retrieved 4 July 2009.
Legal offices
Preceded by Lord Chief Justice of Northern Ireland
2009–2021
Succeeded by
Dame Siobhan Keegan, DBE