Information
Each judge in Ireland has a personal
assistant in court called a "tipstaff". He or she wears a black gown
and when he or she is in court, he or she usually sits on a chair at one side
of the judge. One of his/her duties is to announce the arrival and departure of the judge from the courtroom.
The tipstaff's main function is to provide general assistance to
the judge:
- The tipstaff accompanies the judge while the judge is
carrying out his or her duties. In the
High Court and the
Supreme Court, the
tipstaff holds a long wooden staff when he or she is bringing the judge from
chambers to the court and back.
- The tipstaff communicates with the other tipstaffs to keep
the judge informed about what is happening in other courts on a day-to-day
basis.
- If the judge wishes to communicate a message to another
court, needs a book or needs another errand to be carried out, he or she may
ask his or her tipstaff for assistance.
