Chief Justice Mark Chetcuti stressed the need for a Commissioner for Standards of the Judiciary to act as a bridge of accountability and transparency, serving also as a direct tool of assistance for the Chief Justice, during his speech marking the opening of the forensic year.
The Parliament of Malta had earlier this year voted to introduce a judicial standards commissioner, however did not vote through Constitutional amendments that formed part of the same Bill, with the Opposition having voted against the Bill.
A Commissioner has not yet been appointed.
Chief Justice Chetcuti said that the Commissioner would provide a discreet channel for complaints and guidance, ensuring that both individual and collective shortcomings are addressed. He described the post as essential for safeguarding transparency, accountability, and discipline within the judiciary.
The Chief Justice also expressed his disappointment that last June, Parliament did not approve several select clauses of a Constitutional bill for amendments pertaining to the judiciary via a two-thirds majority.
"I regret that necessary constitutional amendments did not find the two-thirds support of Parliament," Chetcuti said, urging MPs to return to the table to strengthen reforms aimed at efficiency and transparency.
Chetcuti on Wednesday also proposed that the Court should employ full-time technical experts, such as doctors, engineers, and architects, to assist judges and magistrates in inquiries.
This, he said, would help relieve the judiciary of work that should be carried out by specialised professionals.
Chetcuti called for greater accountability within the judiciary, additional resources, and urgent reforms to meet the growing demands on Malta's courts.
He said that justice must be delivered within a reasonable timeframe, warning that the current caseload - with judges and magistrates handling hundreds of cases each - risks undermining public trust.
Chetcuti said that a case should not take more than two years to conclude, except in extraordinary circumstances.
He pointed out that the volume of constitutional cases and appeals has grown significantly, placing an additional burden on the system.
Chetcuti also spoke for a new court building in Gozo, insisting that justice there deserves facilities that are "dignified and efficient," while stressing that true seriousness comes from those who work within the courts, not just from the buildings themselves.
'Lawyers cannot be roadrunners' - Chamber of Advocates President
Chamber of Advocates President Peter Fenech delivered an address, reflecting on the challenges of the past year and presenting proposals for reform.
He criticised the fragmentation of court buildings in Valletta, warning that lawyers were being forced to act like "roadrunners" rushing between sittings that sometimes start late without apology.
"This cannot continue," he said, urging a serious discussion and planning exercise on how the courts should operate.
Fenech lamented that despite initiatives such as "Justice 2030," proposed by the Chamber, little tangible progress has been seen.
He spoke of growing delays, rising complaints from citizens, and a lack of discipline and professionalism in certain quarters of the system.
"Minister Attard, you are the shepherd of this field," he told the Justice Minister directly.
"You must dedicate more resources, because delays are leading to abuse, a lack of discipline, and unprofessional conduct. The citizens are the ones suffering," Fenech said.
Fenech also spoke of the enactment of a Lawyers Act, saying that the profession cannot continue without a clear legislative framework.
He reiterated calls for lawyers' tariffs to be revised, branding them "the elephant in the room" after three decades without adjustment, and linking them to inefficiencies and complaints.
Turning to legal education, Fenech said that the Law course risks becoming a "fallback option" for students who failed to secure entry elsewhere.
He criticised lax attendance, saying that students are failing to attend lectures and graduating anyway unnoticed, and called for the warrant exam to be taken seriously, not treated as a rubber stamp, as well as the restructuring of the law course.
Fenech said that following discussions with the University, the curriculum will be reformed by 2027 to become more practical and reflective of modern needs.
He said that this includes preparing graduates, lawyers, and judges for the impact of artificial intelligence, which he described as both a powerful tool and a potential ethical minefield.
Fenech said that the creation of a regulator to oversee AI's role in the legal sector is therefore needed.
Addressing the judiciary directly, Fenech said that their reputation is built by them, and could be destroyed by them, but those who act correctly should have nothing to fear from disciplinary measures.
"How are we going to resolve the ever-growing number of cases in our Court? It is clear that since the numbers are overwhelming us, we must think beyond how we have thought until now," Fenech said.
He said that increasing the number of judges helps, as in the coming days, two new judges and two new magistrates will be appointed, but he noted that clearly this is not enough.
Fenech said that at the beginning of next year, more vacancies will arise in the judiciary, and the Chamber urged that the calls for applications be issued immediately to fill these posts, rather than waiting for judges to retire.
"An immediate call would help reduce the inevitable delays," Fenech said.
Present alongside judges, magistrates, and lawyers were also Acting President Helena Dalli, Speaker of the House Anġlu Farrugia, Archbishop of Malta Charles Scicluna, Justice Minister Jonathan Attard, and Opposition Leader Alex Borg.