According to the Evening Herald of 3 March 1949, the Law Library magnifying glass was called upon to save the day in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court in 1949, when jurors needed to see the detail in photographic exhibits.

Unfortunately, the glass wasn’t looking its best on arrival in court, with defence counsel C. Casey S.C. having to take on the unenviable challenge of cleaning it. Prosecuting counsel G.D. Murnaghan undertook to make the Chief State Solicitor aware of the shortage of both magnifying glasses and chamois leather, but no one seemed very optimistic that anything would be done.

Nonetheless, as the below account shows, the unexpected hitch was dealt with in the best Four Courts spirit of wit and humour…

What would happen were there to be an unexpected request for a magnifying glass in court today?

Could modern Court Services technology provide an alternative solution?

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