Commissioner for Education addresses role of expert witnesses in court at professional training session
Published May 04, 2026
The Commissioner for Education, Chief Justice Emeritus Vincent A. De Gaetano, was one of two keynote speakers at a training session for social and mental health professionals held on Tuesday 21 April 2026 at the Malta Hilton.
The meeting was jointly organised by the European Institute for Professional Development together with the Malta Association of Psychotherapists and focussed on the function and role of these professionals when taking the witness stand in a court of law, and the difficulties they generally face.
The event brought together a diverse audience of psychotherapists, psychologists, social workers, probation and parole officers, counsellors and other practitioners working across vocational and humanitarian sectors.
Chief Justice De Gaetano tackled the theme of the conference from the angle of when these operatives are appointed as court experts, or otherwise give evidence as experts, while Advocate Franklin Calleja covered more generally the practical aspects of taking the witness stand.
The Session offered participants an opportunity to explore the role of court-appointed experts within the justice system, with particular focus on the responsibilities, ethical duties, procedural expectations and professional standards attached to such appointments and to taking the stand generally. It also encouraged reflection on the significance of expert contribution to the judicial process and the need for clarity, impartiality and professionalism when giving evidence.
