What Happens at a First Court Appearance in Ireland? (Drink Driving Case Guide)

Day 2 of 10 – Facing Court in Ireland: What You Need to Know

This is part of a 10-day series answering the most common fears people have about facing court in Ireland—particularly for drink driving and road traffic cases. If you’ve been arrested, or someone close to you has, you’re in the right place.

You’re not sure what to expect.

You imagine Gardaí giving evidence under oath, maybe even a sentence being handed down. The thought alone is enough to wreck your sleep.

But that’s not what happens.

"I shouldn’t tell you this, but judges do judge you

on your appearance. They’re not supposed to,

and they tell themselves that they shouldn’t,

but I’ve seen them send people home with a warning

to dress properly for court the next time"

The first court date is procedural. There’s no trial, no cross-examination, no final decision. Just a judge, a list, and a brief conversation about whether disclosure has been served—the Garda evidence, MBRS documents, and anything else they intend to rely on.

Still, don’t make the mistake of thinking it’s a box-ticking exercise.

The judge is watching.

Always.

Not just what’s said, but who shows up.

And they write this stuff down.

In other words, they write on your court file whether you are there or not. And before your future trial begins, they’ll be re-reading your court file to see if you turned up every time.

Trust me, you want them to see that you did.

I shouldn’t tell you this, but judges do judge you on your appearance. They’re not supposed to, and they tell themselves that they shouldn’t, but I’ve seen them send people home with a warning to dress properly for court the next time.

Relax, these are not people like you.

They’re the ones who saunter into court in t-shirts, shorts and runners.

You know the type: there’s usually an army of screaming kids trailing after them.

And there’s always the faint whiff of a potential riot.

Your job is to stand out from them. The bar is low, so get it right.

Dressing properly for court (men, that’s suit, shirt and tie) achieves 3 distinct goals: it sets you apart from the rabble, it shows respect for the judge, and it indicates you’re taking this thing seriously.

Your first court date is often the judge’s first impression of you.

And like most first impressions, it tends to last.

In the next post, I’ll cover what happens if you don’t show up for court—and why one missed date can turn a winnable case into a disaster.