The swearing-in ceremony of Caroline Farrugia Frendo as Magistrate will take place after 23 February, meaning that she will have satisfied the constitutional requirement of having practiced as a lawyer for more than seven years, sources have confirmed.

A government source said the swearing-in ceremonies of members of the judiciary usually take place at least a few weeks after the nomination by the government. This is done, in part, for practical reasons, giving the nominees time to tie up loose ends at work before moving on.

The nomination of Dr Farrugia Frendo – who is Speaker Anglu Farrugia’s daughter – raised eyebrows because she took her oath as lawyer less than seven years ago. She graduated in law in November 2008, obtained her warrant on 31 January 2009 and was sworn in on 23 February of the same year.

Legal experts as well as the Opposition have argued that the seven years start counting from the swearing-in, not from the date the warrant is issued. The government said yesterday that Dr Farrugia Frendo’s appointment would be “in line with constitutional requirements.”

Sources said the swearing-in ceremony will definitely be after the 23rd. “Dr Farrugia Frendo is currently working as a court attorney and still has pending work. The process to conclude or handover will take a number of weeks,” the source said.