Judge

Giovanni Onorato (John Onorato) Refalo was born in Victoria, Gozo, son of Giuseppe Refalo ACE and Giuseppina née Tabone.

He studied at St Aloysius College and at the UM. He graduated LLD from the Alma Mater on 1 October 1937.

He served in the K.O.M.R. during WWII. He also served in the Police Force until 1944.

He married Eugenia Ullo Xuereb in the chapel of St. Anton Gardens, in the parish of Attard, on 14 September 1946. She was the daughter of the late Professor Gustavo Ullo Xuereb MD They had two sons who graduated followed in the footsteps of their father: Professor Ian Refalo BA, LLD, and Dr Joseph Refalo LLD

Giovanni Onorato Refalo practised as an advocate in Gozo. Later on, he went to live in Amery Street, Sliema. In WWII, he served in the KOMR and in the Police Corps until 1944. He was appointed Magistrate of Judicial Police on 29 December 1949. This was his first appointment in government service. He was elevated to the Bench in 1971 and sat in the commercial court. During his tenure of office, he presided over the BICAL case. He retired from the judgeship in 1978.

His most useful work in favour of the judiciary, advocates as well as lawyers was his annual compilation of an alphabetical index of the judgments of the Court of Appeal. He helped the legal profession by filling in a lacuna in the publication of judgments by the Maltese Court. He was also Chairman of the Medical Council and of the University Council.

Dr Giovanni Refalo died at the age of 74 years and was buried at the Addolorata Cemetery.

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