▁The ▁President ▁of ▁the ▁District ▁Court ▁was ▁established ▁under ▁the ▁Cour ts ▁( Supp lement al ▁Pro vis ions ) ▁Act ▁ 1 9 6 1 ▁Part ▁ 4 . ▁ ▁List ▁of ▁Pres idents ▁of ▁the ▁District ▁Court ▁Peter ▁Smith wick ▁( 1 9 8 8 – 2 0 0 5 ) ▁Mi ri am ▁Mal one ▁( 2 0 0 5 – 2 0 1 2 ) ▁Ros em ary ▁H organ ▁( 2 0 1 2 – present ) ▁ ▁History ▁ ▁The ▁current ▁District ▁Court ▁was ▁established ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 1 . ▁However , ▁the ▁juris diction ▁v ested ▁in ▁it ▁st ems ▁from ▁the ▁earlier ▁courts ▁of ▁pet ty ▁sessions . ▁Pet ty ▁sessions ▁were ▁originally ▁held ▁by ▁just ices ▁of ▁the ▁peace , ▁who ▁were ▁lay ▁people ▁( and ▁in ▁Ireland , ▁typically ▁members ▁of ▁the ▁Protest ant ▁As c end ancy ), ▁as ▁pre lim inary ▁hear ings ▁for ▁quarter ▁sessions ▁and ▁the ▁ass izes ). ▁From ▁ 1 8 3 6 , ▁the ▁just ices ▁acted ▁under ▁the ▁super vision ▁of ▁resident ▁magistr ates . ▁The ▁Pet ty ▁S essions ▁( I reland ) ▁Act ▁ 1 8 5 1 ▁reg ulated ▁pet ty ▁sessions , ▁organ ising ▁the ▁country ▁into ▁pet ty ▁sessions ▁districts ▁and ▁providing ▁for ▁the ▁appointment ▁of ▁cler ks ▁of ▁pet ty ▁sessions . ▁A ▁series ▁of ▁Sum mary ▁Jur is diction ▁( I reland ) ▁Act s , ▁beginning ▁in ▁ 1 8 5 1 , ▁v ested