Article V — Judicial Branch
8 sections · 0 paragraphs in this article.
The U.S. Virgin Islands has no constitution of its own — five constitutional conventions have failed to produce one. The federal Revised Organic Act of 1954 serves as its founding charter, establishing the three branches of the territorial government and a bill of rights. Codified at 48 U.S.C. ch. 12.
48 U.S.C. § 1611 § 1611. District Court of Virgin Islands; local courts; jurisdiction; practice and procedure
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(a) District Court of Virgin Islands; local courts The judicial power of the Virgin Islands shall be vested in a court of record designated the "District Court of the Virgin Islands" established by Congress, and in such appellate court and lower local courts as may have been or m…
48 U.S.C. § 1612 § 1612. Jurisdiction of District Court
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(a) Jurisdiction The District Court of the Virgin Islands shall have the jurisdiction of a District Court of the United States, including, but not limited to, the diversity jurisdiction provided for in section 1332 of title 28 and that of a bankruptcy court of the United States. …
48 U.S.C. § 1613 § 1613. Relations between courts of United States and courts of Virgin Islands; review by United States Court of Appeals for Third Circuit; reports to Congress; rules
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The relations between the courts established by the Constitution or laws of the United States and the courts established by local law with respect to appeals, certiorari, removal of causes, the issuance of writs of habeas corpus, and other matters or proceedings shall be governed…
48 U.S.C. § 1613a § 1613a. Appellate jurisdiction of District Court; procedure; review by United States Court of Appeals for Third Circuit; rules; appeals to appellate court
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(a) Appellate jurisdiction of District Court Prior to the establishment of the appellate court authorized by section 1611(a) of this title, the District Court of the Virgin Islands shall have such appellate jurisdiction over the courts of the Virgin Islands established by local l…
48 U.S.C. § 1614 § 1614. Judges of District Court
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(a) Appointment; tenure; removal; chief judge; compensation The President shall, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, appoint two judges for the District Court of the Virgin Islands, who shall hold office for terms of ten years and until their successors are chosen a…
48 U.S.C. § 1615 § 1615. Judicial divisions
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The Virgin Islands consists of two judicial divisions; the Division of Saint Croix, comprising the island of Saint Croix and adjacent islands and cays, and the Division of Saint Thomas and Saint John, comprising the islands of Saint Thomas and Saint John and adjacent islands and …
48 U.S.C. § 1616 § 1616. Trial by jury
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All criminal cases originating in the district court shall be tried by jury upon demand by the defendant or by the Government. If no jury is demanded the case shall be tried by the judge of the district court without a jury, except that the judge may, on his own motion, order a j…
48 U.S.C. § 1617 § 1617. United States attorney; appointment; duties
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The President shall, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, appoint a United States attorney for the Virgin Islands to whose office the provisions of chapter 35 of title 28, shall apply. Except as otherwise provided by law it shall be the duty of the United States atto…