2010 Annual Report - Supreme Court of the Virgin Islands

Supreme Court Of The Virgin Islands
MESSAGE ON THE STATE OF THE JUDICIARY
As the head of the judiciary with statutory responsibility for the general oversight of the Judicial Branch, I am indeed pleased to present the
Annual Report of the Court System and Judiciary of the U.S. Virgin Islands for fiscal year 2010 pursuant to 4 V.I. Code Ann. § 31(d)(4)(A). It
is the third such report in the history of the expanded judicial system and constitutes the first year in which the work of the Magistrate Division
has been included for the entire fiscal year.
This annual report is a compilation of data and information prepared separately by both the Supreme and the Superior Courts of the Virgin
Islands, with the final publication being prepared under the guidance of the Administrative Director of the Supreme Court and submitted by the
Chief Justice to the Governor and Legislature, as required by law.
The report for fiscal year 2010 demonstrates that the Judiciary of the Virgin Islands continued to make significant progress in managing its
caseload. The Supreme Court of the Virgin Islands experienced a 13% reduction in overall case filings since fiscal year 2009, but recognized a
57% increase in case dispositions during fiscal year 2010. While criminal appeals were the only category that experienced an increase in case
filings in fiscal year 2010, case dispositions increased for civil appeals by 25% and for bar matters by 100%, attributable in large part to the
motions for suspension brought by the Virgin Islands Bar Association for nonpayment of bar dues and failure to complete the CLE requirements.
Most importantly, the Supreme Court achieved a clearance rate of 132% for fiscal year 2010.
The filings and case dispositions for the Superior Court remained steady overall, approximating a 1% increase in case filings and a 2%
increase in case dispositions. Interestingly, the cases showing a marked increase in case filings in the Superior Court were the criminal cases
which increased 46% over the prior year filings and the family related filings which increased 39% over the prior year filings. Most notably,
despite the increase in filings in the Family Division, the Court disposed 101% more family cases than in the prior year.
As it relates to technology, I am pleased that the Superior Court of the Virgin Islands is now on the path to implement E-filing. The Supreme
Court of the Virgin Islands has long recognized the need to not only ensure electronic access to the Court’s docket, but to provide the ability
for litigants to file pleadings remotely. As the Supreme Court has already implemented its public access module and is currently developing its
electronic filing component, the progress of the Superior Court in this area will only serve to ensure that the Virgin Islands Judiciary is providing
the very best and efficiency in service to its litigants and the attorneys who represent them.
Finally, I am pleased to report that the Supreme Court transitioned to its new facility at No. 161B Crown Bay, St. Thomas, USVI in
November of 2009. The Court is pleased with the renovated facility which includes judicial, administrative, and clerical offices, along with a state
of the art audiovisual courtroom. Although the Court still hears arguments at the District Court in St. Croix to facilitate the bar and parties on
St. Croix, the Court is pleased to have its own courtroom which allows for the scheduling of cases for oral arguments at will without having to
impact the judges of the District Court and the Superior Court for the availability of courtrooms. Having achieved this objective, the Supreme
Court will look towards acquiring property to complete the construction of a courthouse with a suitable courtroom on St. Croix.
Sincerely,
Rhys S. Hodge
Chief Justice
4