A woman whose parents were murdered by the IRA has lost her appeal over the appointment of four victims commissioners.
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Her lawyers claimed the former First Minister and current Deputy First Minister cloaked the process in secrecy, with candidates identified on the basis of religious belief or political opinion rather than merit.
But senior judges in the Court of Appeal upheld a decision to dismiss her judicial review case.
They ruled there was no evidence that the heads of the Stormont power-sharing executive were motivated by improper political considerations or had acted unlawfully.
Their decision provoked dismay among victims campaigners who immediately vowed to take the case to the Supreme Court in London.
It was originally intended to have a single commissioner on a £65,000 a year salary to represent those bereaved during 35 years of conflict in Northern Ireland.
After the original process was ditched, however, it was announced in January 2008 that Patricia MacBride, whose brother was an IRA volunteer killed on active service, RUC widow Bertha McDougal, former broadcaster Mike Nesbitt and Brendan McAllister, director of Mediation Northern Ireland, would each be taking up the post.
Legal representatives of Ms Williamson, who lost both parents in the 1993 bomb attack on Belfast's Shankill Road, claim two Catholics and two Protestants were chosen to break months of political deadlock in the process.
They alleged that Stormont ministers will be immune from judicial scrutiny if the decision was not overturned.
During the appeal it was claimed Mr Paisley, the former Democratic Unionist leader, and Mr McGuinness, the Sinn Fein chief, failed to meet their duty of candour about deciding to choose four representatives.
It was also alleged that the secrecy surrounding the process - with no officials present at meetings or minutes taken - suggested political deal-making in public appointments.
But Lord Justice Girvan, sitting with Lord Chief Justice Sir Declan Morgan and Lord Justice Higgins stated that the Ministers were not under an obligation to implement the statutory provisions to appoint a single Commissioner within any prescribed time limit.
The judge said that, having made such a policy decision to propose a change in the structure of the framework for dealing with victims' issues, it would have "made little sense to proceed to appoint a single Commissioner".
The Court found that Mr Paisley and Mr McGuinness had the power to decline to make an appointment of a single commissioner, and had a power to appoint four individuals described as Commissioners designate to carry out preparatory work which was intended to advance the interests of victims and survivors.
They concluded that the Ministers' approach could not be described as improper, unlawful or wrongly motivated.
"We are considering taking this to the Supreme Court and after that on to Europe if necessary," said Willie Frazer from victims group FAIR.
"This is bigger than the whole victim's issue, this is about the future government of Northern Ireland."
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