Nationalist Party urges government to increase magistrates for domestic violence cases
The Nationalist Party warns that domestic violence victims face prolonged delays as court resources remain stretched, with over 2,400 cases pending

In a bid to address the growing backlog of domestic violence cases, the Nationalist Party (PN) has renewed its call for an increase in the number of magistrates dedicated to these cases.
Shadow Minister Karol Aquilina and Graziella Attard Previ warned the judicial system is in a critical state, citing figures that show domestic violence victims are being left in prolonged uncertainty due to limited judicial resources.
In a statement issued Friday, the PN revealed that three magistrates are currently assigned domestic violence cases, with pending caseloads of 1,601, 793, and 17 cases respectively. This amounts to 2,411 unresolved cases—an increase from 2,236 in November 2023.
“This clearly indicates that magistrates are being asked to perform the impossible with limited resources,” the MPs said, blaming the situation on the government’s failure to adequately invest in human resources and infrastructure within the judicial system.
The PN said that any increase in the number of magistrates must be accompanied by the hiring of staff with expertise in legal and procedural practices to support them.
The party’s concerns align with recommendations from former Judge Lawrence Quintano in the Nicolette Ghirxi inquiry. The report underscores the urgent need for action, advocating for faster issuance of protection orders by duty magistrates and, if necessary, an increase in magistrates handling domestic violence cases.
The inquiry also suggested redistributing pending cases among all magistrates until additional resources are available. “These cases cannot wait,” the inquiry said.
The PN stressed the severe impact of delays, describing them as an additional injustice to victims. “Victims of domestic violence cannot remain in limbo waiting for their cases to be heard and decided by our Courts,” the statement said. “The issue of domestic violence in our country is a serious and growing problem with significant consequences for Maltese and Gozitan families and society at large.”
The MPs said that over 7,000 domestic violence cases have been reported since 2020, underlining the need for urgent prioritization of the issue.
The PN reiterated its demand for immediate government intervention, emphasising the importance of bolstering the judiciary to ensure timely justice for victims. “This reality must be given the priority it deserves,” the MPs said.