Chapter 60

J UD IC IA L P RO CE E D ING S (RE G U LATIO N O F REPO RTS) [CAP. 60. 1 CHAPTER 60 JUDICIAL PROCEEDINGS (REGULATION OF REPORTS) ACT To regulate the publication of reports of judicial proceedings in such manner as to prevent injury to public morals. (17th July, 1927)* ACT XXIX of 1927, as amended by Act XIII of 1948; Legal Notice 46 of 1965; Acts: LVIII of 1974, XXII of 1976 and XIII of 1983; and Legal Notices 408 of 2007 and 218 of 2012 and Act XI of 2018. l. The short title of this Act is the Judicial Proceedings (Regulation of Reports) Act. Short title. 2. It shall not be lawful to print or publish, or cause or procure to be printed or published - Restriction on publication of reports of judicial proceedings. Amended by: L.N. 218 of 2012. (a) in relation to any judicial proceedings, any indecent matter or indecent medical, surgical or physiological details being matter or details the publication of which would be calculated to injure public morals; (b) in relation to any judicial proceedings for nullity of marriage, for divorce or for judicial separation, or touching the effects arising from such nullity of marriage, divorce or judicial separation, any particulars other than the following, that is to say: (i) the names, addresses and occupations of the parties and witnesses; (ii) a concise statement of the charge or charges, statement of claim, defences or pleas and counter-charges or counter-claims in support of which evidence has been given; (iii) submissions on any point of law arising in the course of the proceedings, whether criminal or civil, and the decision of the court thereon; (iv) the summing-up of the judge and the finding of the jury (if any), and the judgment of the court and the reasons contained in the judgment: Provided that nothing in this part of this article shall be held to permit the publication of anything contrary to the provisions of paragraph (a). 3. If any person acts in contravention of the provisions of this Act, he shall in respect of each offence be liable, on conviction, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months or to a fine (multa) not exceeding two hundred and thirty-two euro and ninetyfour cents (232.94), or to both such imprisonment and fine: *See Government Notice No. 230 of the 1st of July, 1927, and Act No. V of 1927 omitted under the Malta Statute Law Revision Ordinance, 1936, and the Statute Law Revision Act, 1980. Penalties. Amended by: XIII. 1983.4; L.N. 408 of 2007. 2 CAP. 60.] J U D IC IA L P RO C EED IN G S (REG U LATIO N O F REPO RTS) Provided that no person, other than a proprietor of a newspaper or printing establishment, master printer or publisher, shall be liable to be convicted under this Act. Prosecutions for offences under the Act. Amended by: XIII. 1948.2; L.N. 46 of 1965; LVIII.1974.68. 4. No prosecution for an offence under this Act shall be commenced in Malta by the Police without the sanction of the Attorney General. Exemptions. 5. The provisions of the foregoing articles shall not apply to the printing of any pleading, note, application, transcript of evidence or other document for use in connection with any judicial proceedings or the communication thereof to persons concerned in the proceedings or to their respective advocates or legal procurators, or to the printing or publishing of any notice or report in pursuance of the directions of the court; or to the printing or publishing of any matter in any separate volume or part of any bona fide series of law reports, or in any publication of a technical character bona fide intended for circulation among members of the legal or medical professions. Saving as to other laws. Amended by: XXII. 1976.4. 6. Deleted by Act XI.2018.27.