Roger Echols, Durham County district attorney, March 20, 2017. They said District Attorney Roger Echols's report on the officer-involved killing of thirty-four-year-old Frank Clark "didn't add up ...
· Sep 30, 2017 Frank Clark, who served as Erie County district attorney for three terms spanning 12 years, died Sept. 22 after a long illness. He was 74. Clark was the second-longest-serving DA in...
Clarke was required by law to retire on 10 October 2021, his 70th birthday, and in March 2021 the Cabinet began the process of identifying his successor. Donal O'Donnell was selected to …
Clark faced some of his stiffest criticism in 2009, after he had left office. Former Assistant District Attorney Mark A. Sacha, a one-time top assistant to Clark, had spent months reviewing...
Clarke was first appointed to the Supreme Court on the 9 February 2012.
He argued on behalf of the Law Society of Ireland in a referral regarding the Adoption (No. 2) Bill 1987. He was appointed by the Supreme Court to appear to argue on behalf of the rights of the mother in In re Article 26 and the Regulation of Information (Services outside the State for Termination of Pregnancies) Bill 1995. In 1994, President Mary Robinson requested him to provide her with legal advice on the presidential prerogative to refuse to dissolve Dáil Éireann.
Clarke's handling of Golfgate received widespread commentary and mixed reaction. His options to discipline Woulfe were limited as the judicial council legislation was not yet fully commenced. The Director General of the Law Society of Ireland said Clarke's actions were a "misstep" and that "irreparable damage" had occurred.
Clarke wrote the opinion of a unanimous court in a combined judgment of DPP v Gormley and DPP v White, holding that police questioning cannot begin until an accused person has received legal advice. He was part of the majority in DPP v. JC in 2015 where the court departed from its precedent regarding the exclusionary rule in Ireland, with Clarke devising a new test to assess the constitutionality of evidence obtained by Gardaí.
He will retire after four years of his term, in 2021. Clarke must by law retire by 10 October 2021, his 70th birthday, and in March 2021 the Cabinet began the process of identifying his successor.
The Supreme Court held sittings in Limerick and NUI Galway in 2018 and 2019, the second and third times hearings took place outside of Dublin. Clarke serves on a judicial advisory committee for appointments of judges and advocates general to the Court of Justice of the European Union.
The Supreme Court asked formed Chief Justice Denham to investigate Woulfe's attendance. After the publication of her report, Clarke sought on several occasions to meet with Woulfe. Eventually Clarke published correspondence between himself and Woulfe where he said in his opinion Woulfe should resign.
Former Erie County District Attorney Frank Clark, shown in a 2007 photo. Photo by Derek Gee
Former Erie County DA Frank Clark, with wife, Kathy, says he has more energy, even though his transplanted kidney is damaged.