Anthony James Hederman (11 August 1921 – 10 January 2014) was an Irish judge and barrister who served as a Judge of the Supreme Court from 1981 to 1993 and Attorney General of Ireland from 1977 to 1981.

Anthony J. Hederman
Judge of the Supreme Court
In office
1 July 1981 – 14 January 1993
Nominated byGovernment of Ireland
Appointed byPatrick Hillery
18th Attorney General of Ireland
In office
6 July 1977 – 29 June 1981
TaoiseachJack Lynch
Charles Haughey
Preceded byJohn M. Kelly
Succeeded byPeter Sutherland
Personal details
Born(1921-08-11)11 August 1921
Naas, County Kildare, Ireland
Died10 January 2014(2014-01-10) (aged 92)
Blackrock, Dublin, Ireland
Political partyFianna Fáil
EducationCastleknock College
Alma mater

Early life

edit

He was born on 11 August 1921 in Naas, County Kildare, Ireland.[1] He was educated at Castleknock College, a private Roman Catholic boys' school in Dublin where he developed a useful network of contacts.[2][3] His contemporaries at school included the future Taoiseach Liam Cosgrave.[3] He went on to obtain an honours degree in legal and political science from University College Dublin. He was a member of Fianna Fáil and for a time in the 1960s was joint Honorary Treasurer of the party (along with Neil Blaney).[citation needed]

edit

Hederman was called to the Bar in 1944.[4] He mainly undertook prosecutions and other State work.[1] He was Attorney General of Ireland from July 1977 to June 1981.[5] In 1981, he was appointed as a Judge of the Supreme Court of Ireland and served there until 1993. He was the sole dissenter in the X Case judgement. He was later appointed as the president of the Law Reform Commission.[6] He died in 2014. After his death the UCD Student Legal Service society named its annual moot court competition in honour of the late Mr Justice Hederman.[7]

References

edit
  1. ^ a b "Mr Justice Anthony Hederman". The Times. 21 January 2014. Archived from the original on 10 May 2015. Retrieved 21 January 2014.
  2. ^ O'Regan, Michael (15 January 2014). "Legal life of the late Anthony Hederman was 'a vocation'". Irish Times. Archived from the original on 22 September 2021. Retrieved 21 January 2014.
  3. ^ a b "Anthony Hederman". Independent.ie. Archived from the original on 22 December 2019. Retrieved 22 December 2019.
  4. ^ Hand, Lise (15 January 2014). "Judge Anthony Hederman hailed as 'quiet hero' at funeral Mass". Irish Independent. Archived from the original on 1 February 2014. Retrieved 21 January 2014.
  5. ^ "Gallery of previous Attorneys General - 1954 to 1981". Office of the Attorney General. Archived from the original on 4 February 2012. Retrieved 25 December 2011.
  6. ^ "Hederman's term extended". The Irish Times. 10 October 1997. Archived from the original on 22 September 2021. Retrieved 21 December 2011.
  7. ^ "HEDERMAN, Justice Anthony: Death notice". The Irish Times. 12 January 2014.
Legal offices
Preceded by Attorney General of Ireland
1977–1981
Succeeded by