A court of appeal yesterday threw out a dispute between claimants to the Ordo Byzantinus Sancti Sepulchri.
The case revolves around a request by Alfred Baldacchino, as Grand Master of the order, for the court to prevent Carmel Sandro Calleja and David Formosa from portraying themselves as Deputy Grand Master and Grand Chancellor of the same order.
The First Hall of the Civil Court had already ruled against Mr Baldacchino, highlighting that law specifically prohibited the courts from recognising titles of nobility or foreign orders unless such orders were recognised by the law itself.
The Court of Appeal, composed of Chief Justice Silvio Camilleri, Mr Justice Geoffrey Valenzia and Mr Justice Giannino Caruana Demajo confirmed the first court’s judgement. They ruled that, if the court were to investigate who was entitled to be Grand Master, Deputy Grand Master and Grand Chancellor of the order, it would be recognising the order itself and this was prohibited at law.
The judgement of the first court was, therefore, confirmed.