July 14, 2004 – A second hearing scheduled by the Senate Public Safety, Judiciary, Homeland Security and Justice Committee to take testimony on a bill to create a Supreme Court of the Virgin Islands has been postponed.
The hearing has been set for 6 p.m. Thursday in the Legislative Conference Room on St. Croix.
Sen. Lorraine Berry, committee chair, said she delayed the meeting because two persons invited to testify Chief District Judge Raymond Finch and Amos Carty Jr., president of the V.I. Bar Association were not available to appear on Thursday. The session will be rescheduled later at a time "mutually convenient to all concerned," she said in a release.
At the first hearing, held July 8 on St. Thomas, all witnesses expressed support for the creation of a local appellate court. However, there was opposition to another provision of the bill calling for the creation of a Judicial Nominating Commission which would submit nominees for the governor to choose among in filling court vacancies.
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