Senior Counsel Melissa Balderamos Mahler is about to take up a temporary appointment on the Court of Appeal - and it's raising eyebrows in legal circles.
First, though a respected attorney, she's a sitting Minister, Anthony Mahler's wife. Second, the post was not advertised as is customary. Third, a practicing attorney taking up an appointment - however brief - on the apex domestic court does raise the possibility of some conflict arising.
Attorney General Anthony Sylvestre told us that her appointment as a temporary Justice of Appeal runs for two months only, from the 1st September, 2025 to 31st October, 2025.
As regards the fact that the vacancy was not advertised Sylvester told X TV that "The selection was for a short temporary appointment and thus there was not a public advertisement."
We asked about the operational conflicts that may arise when a practicing attorney sits on a court within the same jurisdiction, and Sylvester said he could not speak on specifics since the Court is separate from the executive. But he said, quote, "I am sure provisions have to be made to address that concern." When we asked him who would make such provisions, he said simply, "(the) court."
