The judiciary is the public’s favourite punching bag, Chief Justice Silvio Camilleri said during a courtesy visit to the President today.

Surrounded by members of the judiciary, Chief Justice Camilleri said the law courts had come under heavy criticism in recent years, not all of which was fair.

“The lengthy delays and certain decisions are often the result of the constraints of the law and not the judges,” he said.

The Chief Justice appealed for the public to try and appreciate the constraints placed on the judiciary.

“The judiciary comes under a lot of criticism from the public but sometimes the judiciary is limited in what it can do,” he said.

President Marie Louise Coleiro said she appreciated the work being done by the judiciary and was looking forward to meeting with all stakeholders to pave a way forward.

“I want to consult regularly with all of you to help pave the way forward,” she said, adding that reports already drawn up on the state of the judiciary were being looked into.