The law of Malta incorporates continental law, common law and local traditions, such as Code de Rohan. A municipal code was enacted in 1784[1] and replaced in 1813.[2] Maltese law has evolved over the centuries and reflected the rule of the context of the time. At present Malta has a mixed-system codification, influenced by Roman law, French Napoleonic Code, British Common Law, European Union law, international law, and customary law established through local customs[3][4]

Constitution

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The constitution of 1964[5] replaced that of 1961.

Legislation

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The legislature is the Parliament of Malta.

Legislation[6] includes codes[7] and Acts of Parliament.[8] Legislation once included the bando[9] and prammatica[10] (or pragmatic).[11]

Cases and reports

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Collections of law reports include:

  • Repertorio de Decisioni. This volume of reports covers the period from 1713 to 1838.[12]
  • Collezione di decisioni dei tribunali.[13] These four volumes of reports cover the period from 1839 to 1842.[12]
  • Decisione scelte della corti superiori. This volume of reports covers the period from 1847 to 1849.[12][13]
  • Collezione di decisioni dei tribunali superiori. These reports cover a period that begins in 1854.[13][14]

Courts and judiciary

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There are Superior Courts,[15][16] including the Court of Appeal, the Court of Criminal Appeal and the Constitutional Court.[17][18] There was a Supreme Council of Justice.[19] There is a Chief Justice of Malta.

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Practitioners include legal procurators and advocates.[20][21]

Criminal law

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Legislation has included the Criminal Code[22] of 1854[23] (c 9), the Criminal Code (Amendment) Act 1963, the Criminal Code (Amendment) (No. 2) Act 1963, the Criminal Code (Amendment) Act 1966 (No 43), the Criminal Code (Amendment) Act 1967 (No 2), the Criminal Code (Amendment) (No. 2) Act 1967 (No 25), the Criminal Code (Amendment) Act 1972 (No 33), the Criminal Code (Amendment) Act 1973 (No 2), the Criminal Code (Amendment) (No. 2) Act 1973 (No 3), the Criminal Code (Amendment) Act 1974 (No 4), and the Criminal Code (Amendment) (No. 2) Act 1974 (No 8).

References

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  1. ^ Joanna Drake, P G Xuereb and Eugene Buttigieg. In Winterton and Moys (eds). Information Sources in Law. Second Edition. Bowker-Saur. 1997. Chapter Eighteen: Malta. Pages 307 to 319.
  2. ^ Andò, Biagio (December 2011). "Mediterranean Legal Hybridity: Mixtures and Movements, the Relationships between the Legal and Normative Traditions of the Region; Malta, June 11-12, 2010". Journal of Civil Law Studies. 4 (2). Louisiana State University: Center of Civil Law Studies: 243–245. ISSN 1944-3749. OCLC 268995492. Archived from the original on 19 December 2016.
  3. ^ "Mediterranean Legal Hybridity: Mixtures and Movements, the Relationships between the Legal and Normative Traditions of the Region; Malta, June 11-12, 2010". Journal of Civil Law Studies. 4 (2). Louisiana State University: Center of Civil Law Studies: 233–538. March 2012. ISSN 1944-3749. OCLC 268995492. Archived from the original on 19 December 2016.
  4. ^ Cauchi, Jacqueline Azzopardi; Knepper, Paul (1 February 2009). "The Empire, the police, and the introduction of fingerprint technology in Malta". Criminology & Criminal Justice. 9 (1). London: Sage: 76. CiteSeerX 10.1.1.896.3771. doi:10.1177/1748895808099181. ISSN 1748-8958. OCLC 746934116. S2CID 146525063.
  5. ^ Camilleri, J.; Montesin, F. E.; Di Silvio, L.; Pitt Ford, T. R. (November 2005). "The chemical constitution and biocompatibility of accelerated Portland cement for endodontic use". International Endodontic Journal. 38 (11): 834–842. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2591.2005.01028.x. ISSN 0143-2885.
  6. ^ Ivan Sammut. "Legislation in Malta". Karpen and Xanthaki (eds). Legislation in Europe. Hart Publishing. 2020. Chapter 20. pp 325 to 335.
  7. ^ Ivan Sammut. "Legislation in Malta". Karpen and Xanthaki (eds). Legislation in Europe. Hart Publishing. 2020. At p 325.
  8. ^ Ivan Sammut. "Legislation in Malta". Karpen and Xanthaki (eds). Legislation in Europe. Hart Publishing. 2020. At p 331.
  9. ^ Barry Hough and Howard Davis. Coleridge's Laws: A Study of Coleridge in Malta. 2010. pp 152 to 154.
  10. ^ Laws and Regulations of Police for the Island of Malta and its dependencies, 1853, p 31.
  11. ^ George Alfred Page. A Guide to the Laws & Regulations of Malta. Printed by John Muscat. Strada Mercanti, Valetta, Malta. 1892. p 5.
  12. ^ a b c Maxwell. A Complete List of British & Colonial Law Reports and Legal Periodicals. Sweet & Maxwell. London. Carswell Company. Toronto. 1913. p 66.
  13. ^ a b c Sherman. Roman Law in the Modern World. 1922. vol 3. p 37.
  14. ^ Maxwell and Brown. A Complete List of British and Colonial Law Reports and Legal Periodicals. 3rd Ed. 1937. Reprinted 1995. p 98.
  15. ^ Private Client Tax: Jurisdictional Comparisons. 2012. p 233.
  16. ^ Constitutions of Europe. 2004. vol 2. p 1202
  17. ^ "Malta, February 1985". (Background Notes). United States Department of State, Bureau of Public Affairs. Publication 8220. Published April 1985. p 3.
  18. ^ Court of Criminal Appeal. Court of Criminal Appeal. Constitutional Court.
  19. ^ Copies or Extracts of Reports of the Commissioners appointed to inquire into the Affairs of the Island of Malta, 1839, Part 3, p 32.
  20. ^ Bruno Nascimbene and Elisabetta Bergamini. "Malta". The Legal Profession in the European Union. Kluwer Law International. 2009. Chapter 3. Section 19. pp 158 to 163 at p 159.
  21. ^ Ganado and Borg and Cutts-Watson. "Malta". The Bar of Brussels (compiler). Professional Secrecy of Lawyers in Europe. Cambridge University Press. 2013. pp 344 to 365, at p 345.
  22. ^ Stefano Filletti and Jennifer Shaw. "Malta". Ligeti (ed). Toward a Prosecutor for the European Union. 2013. vol 1. Chapter 13. At p 473.
  23. ^ Winterton and Moys (eds). p 310.

Bibliography

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  • David Joseph Attard. The Maltese Legal System. Second Edition. Malta University Press. 2013. ISBN 9789990945744. [1]
  • Mark A Sammut. The Law in All Its Majesty: Essays in Maltese Legal History and Comparative Law. Russell Square Publishing Limited. 2016. ISBN 9781911301004. [2]
  • Hugh W Harding. Maltese Legal History under British rule (1801-1836). Printed at Progress Press. Valletta, Malta. 1968. WorldCat. Reprinted by Malta University Press. 1980. WorldCat.
  • Proclamation No 1 of the 10th March 1854, promulgating Her Majesty's Order in Council giving effect to a Code of Laws and Regulations of Police for the Island of Malta and its Dependencies. Google Books
  • F Cremona. The Law on Commercial Partnerships in Malta. University of Malta. 1989. [3]
  • Andrew Muscat. Principles of Maltese Company Law. Malta University Press. 2007. WorldCat
  • Max Ganado, Ganado & Associates Advocates and the Institute of Financial Services Malta. An introduction to Maltese Financial Services Law. Allied Publications. Valletta, Malta. 2009. WorldCat
  • Simone Borg and Louise Spiteri. Environmental Law in Malta. Kluwer Law International. 2010. Google Books
  • Kevin Aquilina. Media Law in Malta. Kluwer Law International. 2014. ISBN 9789041153319. [4]
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