Judge Lorraine Schembri Orland was elected to the European Court of Human Rights following a vote on Tuesday.

She was one of three candidates put forward by Malta for the role.

The other two final candidates were deputy Attorney General Dr Victoria Buttigieg and Madame Justice Abigail Lofaro. 

She obtained an absolute majority of votes cast, and will be elected ECHR judge for a term of office of nine years, starting in September. 

Madam Justice Schembri Orland will be the first Maltese woman in history to be elected as ECHR judge. 

She was first appointed to the bench back in 2012. She currently presides over the Civil Court, First Hall which has civil competence, as well as original jurisdiction in matters of Fundamental Human Rights as guaranteed by the Maltese Constitution and by the European Convention on Human Rights.

She also presides over the Civil Court which is competent in matters of probate, minority, interdiction and incapacitation, guardianships, trusts, foundations and cross border successions,

The three Maltese candidates for the post were interviewed by the Council of Europe's Election of Judges committee, which eventually recommended her as the most qualified candidate.

The next and final step  the plenary vote which took place earlier on Tuesday.

Madame Justice Schembri Orland concluded her Doctorate of Laws (LL.D.) at the Univeristy of Malta in 1986. In 1996 she concluded her Magister Juris in European Law -(M.Jur.) (Eur. Law) also from the University of Malta.

Between 1991 and 1993, she was a member of drafting committee entrusted with broad legislative reforms to the Constitution of Malta.

Prior to becoming a judge, she had held positions with the European Council of Women, was a member of the National Consultative Committee on Bioethics, was a member of the founding committee of San Blas Drug Rehabilitation Centre set up by Caritas (Malta), and others.

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