Money claims of one hundred Maltese Liri or less are decided by the newly established Small Claims Tribunal. The Court of Magistrates for Gozo in the civil field, has a two-fold jurisdiction, an inferior jurisdiction comparable to that exercised by its counterpart Court in Malta, and a superior jurisdiction, both civil and commercial, in respect of causes which in Malta are cognizable by the First Hall of the Civil Court. Within the limits of its territorial jurisdiction, this Court has also the powers of a Court of voluntary jurisdiction. The Small Claims Tribunal has been set up recently by an Act of Parliament. The Act provides for the appointment of an adjudicator who decides these cases on principles of equity and the law.
Proceedings are summary and there is little formality of proceedings.
The intention is to have claims of one hundred or less Maltese Liri decided in one to two sittings. The adjudicator may be a lawyer with at least one year practice or a Legal Procurator with three years practice. Sittings of this Tribunal are held in Malta or Gozo. The Commissioners are selected from among persons holding a law degree and given a three year appointment. As the offenses have been depenalised the case may be decided even in the absence of the accused.