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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