Announcements

Academy Documents

Kindly access the Students' Policies & Forms by clicking on the button below. The following documents, among others, can be found there: Student Handbook, Student Code of Conduct, Students' Privacy Notice, Deferral, Suspension, and Cancellation Policy, Assignment Extension Policy, Re-Sit Policy, Complaints Procedure Policy, Equality Policy, and Student Disciplinary Policy.

Students' Policies & Forms

Online Sessions Link

To join the online sessions for this module, please click on the button below. If you are not already signed in to your Zoom account, you will be prompted to register your attendance. You will also need to enter the password provided below.

Join Session

Meeting ID: 862 8744 1305

Passcode: 753735

Please ensure that your name and surname appear as registered for the study programme, as this is essential for recording your attendance.

Lecture Schedule & Notes

Lecture notes will be available during the week following the respective lecture. Schedule dates are indicative and may change. All changes, if any, may be communicated via email, SMS or telephone calls.

Lecturer/s  

Dr. Sara Vassallo Ciliberti

Lecture Summaries & Suggested Reading 

Lecture 1 - Introduction to the Maltese Legal System

• Overview of course structure and objectives
• Explanation of assessment methods, including course assignment
• Self assessment
• What is law and the main purposes of law
• Brief overview of different legal systems
• The evolution of the Maltese legal system
• Influence of various ruling powers on Malta’s legal framework
• Sources of Maltese law

Core Reading List

• Attard, D., 2012. The Maltese Legal System Vol I

Supplementary Reading List

• Aquilina, Kevin., 2011. ‘Rethinking Maltese Legal Hybridity: A Chimeric Illusion or Healthy Grafted European Law Mixture’ Journal of Civil Law Studies, Vol 4 no. 2 P. 261

Lecture 2 - Sources of Maltese Law & the Legislative Process

• Maltese law and a further understanding of sources of Maltese law
• Legislative process
• Understanding the law
• Language and law – general rules
• Judicial interpretation and a brief introduction to finding & understanding judgments as a source in themselves

Core Reading List

• Attard, D., 2012. The Maltese Legal System Vol I

Supplementary Reading List

• Borg, T., (2016). A Commentary on the Constitution of Malta
• Cremona, J J,, (1997). The Maltese Constitution and Constitution History since 1813

Lecture 3 - The Constitution

• The Constitution of Malta as the highest law of the land
• The separation of powers
• The rule of law
• Main functions of - The Judiciary, The President, The Executive, Parliament, The Attorney General, The State Advocate & the Commission of the Administration of Justice
• The Superior Courts
• The Inferior Courts
• Tribunals & Boards
• Main Chapters of Law

Core Reading List

• Attard, D., 2012. The Maltese Legal System Vol I

Supplementary Reading List

• Borg, T., (2016). A Commentary on the Constitution of Malta
• Cremona, J J,, (1997). The Maltese Constitution and Constitution History since 1813

Lecture 4 - The Courts of Malta

• Delving into understanding the structure Maltese Courts
• Competence and jurisdiction of Maltese Courts, Tribunals & Boards
• The Constitutional Court and Human Rights
• The European Convention on Human Rights

Core Reading List

• Attard, D., 2012. The Maltese Legal System Vol I

Lecture 5 - Court Structure, Legal Bodies and Professions

• Legal Professions – Attorney General, State Advocate, Lawyers, Notaries, Legal Procurators
• Re-visiting key points related to Maltese court structure
• Court of Magistrates as a court of criminal inquiry and as a court of criminal judicature
• Brief understanding of a Jury
• General understanding of appeal procedure
• Assignment discussion and titles

Core Reading List

• Attard, D., 2012. The Maltese Legal System Vol I

Supplementary Reading List

• Cremona, J J,, (1997). The Maltese Constitution and Constitution History since 1813

Methods of Assessment

Self-Assessment (20% of final grade): Students are required to complete a multiple-choice test during the first lecture of the module on 2nd October 2024. The test sheet and answers will be provided in an additional 30-minute session, scheduled for 24th October 2024 at 17:30 hrs. Students will be expected to mark their own submissions.

Assignment (80% of final grade).

Assignment

You are required to choose one of the three questions available in the Assignment Submission Form made available by clicking the button below. The assignment must be submitted no later than Thursday, 22 January 2025, along with the Assignment Submission Form. Please ensure that you indicate the question you have addressed on the Assignment Submission Form.

Assignment Submission Form

For guidance on how to plan, draft, and submit your assignment, please refer to the 21 Academy presentation on Writing and Submitting Your Assignment by clicking the button below.

Writing and Submitting Your Assignment

We are also providing the 21 Academy's Assignments Rubric for your reference. This rubric is a performance-based assessment tool that tutors will use for grading, and it will help you understand the requirements of the assignment and how it will be assessed.

Assignments Rubric

For referencing purposes, please use the OSCOLA Referencing Guide available by clicking the button below.

OSCOLA Referencing Guide

Submitting Assignment - Turnitin

The Academy will notify you via email when the assignment questions become available. Shortly after, you will receive another email from Turnitin, likely on the same day, confirming your enrolment in a "class" where you can upload your assignment(s).

Please ensure that your assignments are submitted no later than 23:59 on the assignment submission deadline, as indicated on the Assignment Submission form or in the Turnitin "class."

At 21 Academy, you have the option to submit multiple drafts before the final submission deadline. The version uploaded at the deadline will be treated as your final submission for assessment. Please note that Turnitin evaluates the same assignment twice within a 24-hour period, so any additional submissions during this time will not be reviewed until the 24-hour period has passed. Ensure that your final submission does not exceed 20% similarity, particularly when using direct quotations.

Follow this very short video to understand how to submit your assignment through Turnitin

Submitting a Paper

To understand the similarity report generated by Turnitin follow this 1 minute video

Understanding the Similarity Report

Referencing Style

Law students should use the OSCOLA referencing style as it is the standard citation system for legal writing in Malta. It ensures consistency, accuracy, and clarity when referencing legal sources, which is essential for academic and professional work. The video below provides detailed guidance on how to reference using OSCOLA. Please also refer to the OSCOLA Referencing Guide by clicking the button below

OSCOLA Referencing Guide