Bank of Ireland v O'Donnell & ors  Bank of Ireland v O'Donnell & ors [https://www.bailii.org/ie/cases/IESC/2015/S90.html [2015] IESC 90] is an Irish Supreme Court case that centred around whether the appellants had any right or capacity to bring a motion before the court. They wanted to seek an order of a stay on Mr Justice McGovern's order dated 24 July 2014. In their appeal, they referred to the principle of objective bias and Mr Justice McGovern's refusal to recuse himself. The Supreme Court rejected the application for a stay and held that the law regarding objective bias was clearly stated in the lower court. The case began in 2011, but had been moved to the desk of McGovern J after Kelly J was accused of objective bias. Brian and Mary Patricia O'Donnell, the appellants, were a married couple who brought a motion to the Court in order to remove any ownership they had in a variety of companies and properties. They sought to transfer them to their two sons, Blake O'Donnell and Bruce O'Donnell, the other two appellants. They had applied to the Supreme Court for a stay on an order made by McGovern J, which adjudicated their relationship with the plaintiffs in that case and Bank of Ireland, the respondent in this case. The Supreme Court, made up of Denham C.J , MacMenamin J and Laffoy J in a unanimous decision dismissed the motion. The ruling was split into two parts, dealing with Mr and Mrs O'Donnell and their sons separately. Brian and Mary Patricia O' Donnell were declared bankrupt in 2013 and thus, their property rights were conferred to the Official Assignee as per section 44 of the Bankruptcy Act 1988. They sought an order of a stay on the order of McGovern J. Under section 3 of the same Act, the term 'property' includes the right to litigate, which now rested with the Official Assignee as Mr and Mrs O'Donnell were declared bankrupt. Therefore, the Court found that this meant the first two appellants, Brian O'Donnell and Mary Patricia O'Donnell did not have "locus standi." Although, some personal actions may rest with the appellants as opposed to the Official Assignee, litigation is not one of them. Subsequently, Mr and Mrs O'Donnell did not have the capacity to bring a motion before the court. The order for a stay could only be accepted if it is initiated by the Official Assignee in this case.