Gov. Albert Bryan Jr. announced the nomination of attorney Melanie L. Turnbull to serve as a judge of the Superior Court of the Virgin Islands, Family Division, St. Thomas–St. John district, during Tuesday’s Government House press briefing.
“Attorney Turnbull’s record reflects strong trial experience, careful preparation and a commitment to equal justice under law,” Bryan said. “This nomination is based on qualifications, character and service to the people of the Virgin Islands.”
An assistant federal public defender for the District of the Virgin Islands since 2018, Turnbull has represented indigent clients at arraignments, bail proceedings, pretrial hearings, jury trials, sentencings and post-conviction matters, Bryan noted. Her representative cases include fraud, bank robbery, identity theft, firearm offenses, narcotics conspiracies, immigration offenses and contested sentencings seeking below-guidelines outcomes.
Her public service also includes work as an assistant territorial public defender beginning in 2015, where she managed a full misdemeanor and felony caseload from preliminary hearings through trial and sentencing. That role required developing case strategies, researching and arguing motions, and practicing client-centered representation with clear communication of options, risks and likely outcomes, said Bryan.
Earlier in her career, Turnbull clerked at the Supreme Court of the Virgin Islands for Justice Ive A. Swan, drafting pre-argument memoranda, researching Virgin Islands jurisprudence and assisting with editing and evaluating written opinions. Additional experience includes a legal externship with Chiesi USA Inc., where she streamlined vendor agreements and supported regulatory research, and a summer clerkship at the North Carolina Supreme Court for Justice Barbara Jackson.
Her academic credentials include a J.D. from Campbell University’s Norman Adrian Wiggins School of Law, where she served on the mock trial team, won a regional championship in the 38th National Trial Competition and held leadership roles in the Student Bar Association and the dean search committee. She also served as a staff writer for the Campbell Law Observer.Turnbull holds a bachelor’s degree in molecular biology, cum laude, from Hampton University and is a member or the Virginia State Bar (2013) and the U.S. Virgin Islands Bar (2014).
Her community service spans membership in Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.; service on the Office of the Territorial Public Defender Board and the Faith Alive Academy School Board; and as former head coach of the Virgin Islands Bar Association’s annual Moot Court program.
The nomination has been transmitted to the 36th Legislature for advice and consent, consistent with Title 4, Chapter 5, Section 72, of the Virgin Islands Code.
