This Article analyzes the complex and intriguing interplay among the several courts governing the United States Virgin Islands. The Authors begin by discussing the early history of the Virgin Islands, including the Virgin Islands’ transition from a civil law system to a common law system. The Authors then examine the more recent history, beginning with the establishment of the Virgin Islands Supreme Court in 2004 and continuing to the present, which has led to various jurisdictional and precedential issues.
Specifically, the Authors discuss the relationships between the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit and the Virgin Islands Supreme Court; the Virgin Islands Supreme Court and the Superior Court of the Virgin Islands; and the Superior Court of the Virgin Islands and the District Court of the Virgin Islands. The Authors focus on the Virgin Islands’ unique status as a territory but not a state—a status that leads to conflict among these courts, such as the debate regarding the interpretation and application of the Territorial Clause. The Article concludes by identifying and analyzing trends in recent Virgin Islands caselaw while recommending solutions for dealing with persistent issues within the Virgin Islands’ judicial relationships.