MORTARA, LODOVICO

MORTARA, LODOVICO (1855–1937), Italian jurist and statesman. Born in Mantua where his father marco mortara was chief rabbi, he lectured from 1886 at the universities of Pisa and Naples. He became professor of law at Naples in 1903and at the same time a magistrate in Rome. He was promoted to membership of the Supreme Court in Rome where he held the offices of attorney general, public prosecutor and eventually first president of the Supreme Court of Cassation. In 1919 Mortara became minister of justice and in the following year was appointed to the Senate. He was an outspoken critic of Fascism and opposed the constitutional changes introduced by Mussolini. His writings ran into many editions and strongly influenced the development of Italian jurisprudence. They include: Lo Stato Moderno et la Giustizia (1885); Principii di Procedura Civile (19227); Manuale di Procedura Civile (19213). Mortara also edited the review La Giurisprudenza Italiana (1891– ), Italy's leading judicial publication. -BIBLIOGRAPHY: M. Rotundi, L. Mortara (1937); P. Calamandrei, L. Mortara (1937). (Giorgio Romano)