Background

The Virgin Islands Commission on Judicial Conduct was created in 2009 when the Supreme Court adopted Rule 209. The new rule, which was subsequently amended in 2010, established the Commission as an independent commission responsible for investigating complaints against justices of the Supreme Court and judges and magistrates of the Superior Court.

Judicial conduct commissions exist in every state and territory and are responsible for overseeing the ethical conduct of judges both on and off the bench. They play a vital role in promoting public confidence in the judiciary and in preserving the integrity of the judicial process.

As a forum for citizens with complaints against judges, judicial conduct commissions help maintain the balance between judicial independence and public accountability and serve to strengthen the judiciary by encouraging judges to maintain high standards of professional and personal conduct.