Legal

V.I. Department of Justice Files Emergency Motion to Halt Parole Hearings, Citing Constitutional Concerns

The V.I. Department of Justice has submitted an emergency motion to the V.I. Superior Court seeking to suspend upcoming parole hearings and requesting judicial review of a newly enacted law that the department argues violates the territory’s constitutional framework. Filed ahead of a series of parole hearings scheduled to begin on June 2, 2025, the department’s motion asks for a temporary restraining order to halt all proceedings while the court evaluates the legality of the statute in question. According to the V.I. DOJ, the legislation, passed by the V.I. Legislature, would permit individuals who were previously ineligible for parole—based on court-imposed sentences—to now apply for early release. The department contends that this retroactive shift unlawfully alters final judicial decisions, encroaching upon the separation of powers by interfering with both the authority of the courts and the governor. “The Department of Justice has a duty to uphold the Constitution and protect the...