{{short description|Chief Justice of Malta}} {{Use dmy dates|date=July 2021}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Joseph Azzopardi | image = | office1 = Chief Justice of Malta | prime_minister1 = Joseph Muscat, Robert Abela | term_start1 = 2018 | term_end1 = 2020 | predecessor1 = Silvio Camilleri | successor1 = Mark Chetcuti | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1955|4|8|df=y}} | birth_place = Senglea | death_date = | death_place = | party = | spouse = | children = | alma_mater = University of Malta | website = | office = Commissioner for Standards in Public Life | predecessor = George Marius Hyzler | prime_minister = Robert Abela | term_start = 8 March 2023 }}

'''Joseph Azzopardi''' (born 8 April 1955 in Senglea) is Commissioner for Standards in Public Life in Malta. He was also Chief Justice of Malta from 2018 till 2020.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://judiciarymalta.gov.mt/judges|title=The Judiciary of Malta : Judges|website=judiciarymalta.gov.mt|access-date=30 May 2019|archive-date=31 December 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191231134228/http://www.judiciarymalta.gov.mt/judges|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2018-04-10/local-news/Judge-Joseph-Azzopardi-will-be-the-new-Chief-Justice-6736187878|title=Judge Joseph Azzopardi will be the new Chief Justice - The Malta Independent|website=www.independent.com.mt}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.maltatoday.com.mt/news/national/85989/judge_joseph_azzopardi_will_be_the_new_chief_justice|title=Judge Joseph Azzopardi will be the new Chief Justice|website=MaltaToday.com.mt}}</ref>

== Biography == Graduating as Notary Public from the University of Malta in 1978 and as Doctor of Laws in 1979, Azzopardi was the first president of the Federation of Maltese Youth Organizations in 1980.<ref name=CV>[judiciarymalta.gov.mt/file.aspx?f=447 CV Azzopardi</ref>

Since 1980 Azzopardi practiced as a private lawyer for 23 years, specialising mainly in Civil Law and Matrimonial Law, and consulting for among others Lohombus Corporation and the Malta Public Transport Authority. He was appointed director of the then Mid Med Bank from 1981 to 1987, and was a member of the Housing Authority Board from 1997 to 2003. He also served as a Commissioner of Justice from 1997 to 2003 and was Chairman of various disciplinary Boards including those at Maltacom and the Malta Freeport Corporation. Azzopardi served as a member of the Committee of the Chamber of Advocates from 1996 to 2000 and was then elected its President until 2003. As such, he was ''ex officio'' member of the Commission for the Administration of Justice of Malta.<ref name=CV/>

On 23 May 2003, Azzopardi was appointed by Prime Minister Eddie Fenech Adami (PN) as Judge of the Superior Courts. He presided the Family Section of the Civil Courts.<ref name=CV/> In April 2018, at 63, Azzopardi was appointed by Prime Minister Joseph Muscat (PL) as Chief Justice of Malta.<ref name=ToM>{{cite news | url=https://timesofmalta.com/articles/view/mr-justice-joseph-azzopardi-to-be-new-chief-justice.675991 | newspaper=Times of Malta | title=Mr Justice Joseph Azzopardi to be new Chief Justice | date=10 April 2018 | accessdate=22 July 2021 }}</ref> He was considered an uncontroversial choice. He retired at 65 on 8 April 2020.<ref>[https://timesofmalta.com/articles/view/azzopardi-on-pole-for-chief-justice.674379 ToM]</ref>

Azzopardi has also served as examiner in Civil Law in the Faculty of Laws of the University of Malta.<ref name=CV/> He also once unsuccessfully contested a single general election as a Labour candidate.<ref name=ToM/>

In June 2018, Justice Minister Owen Bonnici put forward again magistrate Consuelo Scerri Herrera for promotion to Judge, after Silvio Camilleri had been replaced by Azzopardi as Chief Justice. The Minister's decision was deemed by the ''Times of Malta'' to be putting the Judicial Appointment Committee "under intense pressure" and sources described it as "unethical" and a way for the government to test the new Chief Justice, sealing his public perception and the credibility of the appointment committee.<ref>[https://timesofmalta.com/article/minister-renominates-rejected-magistrate-for-promotion.681940 Times of Malta], 17 June 2018</ref>

In October 2019, Azzopardi used the occasion of the annual speech to lash out against journalists for asking compromising questions, saying that "it is easy to attack members of the judiciary because you know they can’t answer you".<ref>[https://www.maltatoday.com.mt/news/national/97768/chief_justice_lashes_out_at_journalists_for_asking_compromising_questions#.XZR-BkYzZPZ Malta Today]</ref>

On 8 March 2023 Azzopardi was appointed Commissioner for Standards in Public Life, succeeding Dr George Marius Hyzler in this role.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Former chief justice Joseph Azzopardi takes oath as new standards czar |url=https://www.maltatoday.com.mt/news/national/121698/former_chief_justice_joseph_azzopardi_takes_oath_as_new_standards_czar_ |access-date=2024-11-30 |website=MaltaToday.com.mt |language=en}}</ref>

He is married and has a daughter.<ref name=CV/>

==See also== * List of chief justices of Malta

== References == {{Reflist}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Azzopardi, Joseph}} Category:Living people Category:Chief justices of Malta Category:1955 births Category:Place of birth missing (living people) Category:20th-century Maltese people Category:21st-century Maltese lawyers Category:20th-century judges Category:21st-century judges