Government

Superior Court Backlog Surpasses 11,500 Cases Amid Judicial Vacancy Challenges

The backlog of cases at the Superior Court of the Virgin Islands stands at over 11,500, and is unlikely to improve without some legislative adjustments, lawmakers were told during Thursday's meeting of the Senate Committee on Rules and Judiciary.  The meeting was a historic one, as it featured representatives of the judicial branch of government appearing before the Legislature for the first time outside of the annual budget defense hearings. Administrator of Courts Regina deChabert Petersen noted that the case backlog of 11,666 was measured as of September 30 2024, and has undoubtedly increased since then.  Contributing to this large backlog is a shortage of judges to dispose of cases in a timely manner. The issue, Ms. deChabert Petersen said, arises due to the lengthy process by which judicial vacancies are filled. Upon the expiration of a judge's six-year term, “the judicial branch cannot simply reallocate appropriated funds to make additional hires,” she told lawmakers.  Instead,...