Judge

The fourth baron of San Giovanni was born in Valletta. He was educated privately, at the Mdina seminary and at the UM where he graduated LL.D. (1862).

For a long time Chapelle held the post of assessore to the curia. He was elected member of the council of government and later of the executive council.

Chapelle was appointed judge on 2 January 1892 and knight bachelor in the new year’s honours list in 1909.

He is mostly remembered for his decision "Busuttil v La Primaudaye" of 1892, which he based by way of misinterpretation of the French Law of Droit Administratif, that gave rise to the doctrine of governmental liability called the ‘Dual Personality of the State' meaning that administratively the State could not be sued if it acted ‘Iure Imperii’ (in a political capacity) whereas the State could be sued if it acted ‘Iure Gestionis’ (in a civil capacity).

An appreciation on Chapelle in the Daily Malta Chronicle of 26 March 1909 mentions that ‘his whole interests and his whole desires were inseparable from the concerns and fortunes of Malta. No one perhaps knew his countrymen better than him. He served his country as a statesman with zeal and discernment.’ 

This biography is part of the collection created by Michael Schiavone over a 30-year period. Read more about Schiavone and his initiative here.