Although it was important that the children’s voice was heard in family cases, a balance had to be found between the court’s need to listen to them and the risk of damage they could suffer from their direct involvement in procedures, Madame Justice Lorraine Schembri Orland said today.

She was making her address during her first inaugural sitting this morning. Madame Justice Schembri Orland said that a balance had to be found between the need for truth and the necessity to protect minors.

She said that in spite of all the efforts made by all involved, she felt that the court was weakest in cases of parental alienation which created an irreparable distance between children and one of the parents.

Professionals, she said, should work hand in hand for all parties to understand that a child’s healthy development relied on the creation of good relations with both parents.

“This is a fundamental right not just for the parents but also for the children.”

Madame Justice Schembri Orland also promised to ensure some form of control on the process of cases, postponements and the length of time for the presentation of evidence.

She said that during the first hearing appointments should be made for the following sittings so that the process would not delayed unnecessarily.

Dressed in the toga which had belonged to her late father in law George Schembri, Madame Justice Schembri Orland said a judge should not be afraid to take unpopular decisions and to decide according to conscience.

When thanking the people who gave her personal and professional support during her 30-year career, Dr Schembri Orland said that as a law student, she was a Parliamentary correspondent with The Times, under the direction of Lawrence Grech.

She thanked Mr Grech for his patience and for teaching her to appreciate and love culture, music and art.

Chamber of Advocates president Reuben Balzan said that although an appointments system had been embarked upon, there were those who seemed to have an interest in not following the system.

He appealed to everyone to make a genuine effort and adopt it and said that one could not expect the judiciary and lawyers to be flexible unless mediators were also flexible.

The latter, he said, should not be available just two times a week.

The newly ordained auxiliary bishop Mgr Charles Scicluna was among those present for the ceremony.

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