Appointer President of Malta Formation 1814 | Inaugural holder Giuseppe Borg Olivier | |
 | ||
Style His Honour the Chief Justice Term length Until he attains the age of 65. | ||
The Chief Justice of Malta is the primus inter pares of the judicial branch of Malta. The Chief Justice leads the business of the Superior Courts and is appointed by the President of Malta acting in accordance with the advice of the Prime Minister of Malta.
Duties
Where more than one judge is assigned to sit ordinarily in a court, or in a chamber or section of the court, the distribution of duties in general between the judges appertains to the Chief Justice.
By virtue of his office, the Chief Justice of Malta is ex officio:
The Chief Justice may designate one of the Magistrates sitting in the Inferior Courts as Senior Magistrate, who shall perform such duties and functions as may be assigned to his by the Chief Justice himself.
If the office of Chief Justice is vacant or if the Chief Justice is for any reason unable to perform the functions of his office, then, until a person has been appointed to and has assumed the functions of that office or until the Chief Justice has resumed those functions, as the case may be, those functions shall (except to such extent, if any, as other provision is made by law) be performed by such one of the other judges of the Superior Courts as may be designated in that behalf by the President, acting in accordance with the advice of the Prime Minister.