Case Details

Issues

Ethics

Filing State

VI

Court

Virgin Islands Supreme Court

Year

2013

Citation

In The Matter of the Petition of the Virgin Islands Bar Association Committee on the Unauthorized Practice of Law Re: Wilson J. Campbell, 2013 V.I. Supreme LEXIS 57 (V.I. Sept. 16, 2013).

Resolution

Attorney not authorized to practice law in the Virgin Islands cannot be an Assistant Attorney General

Case Description

An assistant attorney general (AAG) in the Virgin Islands Attorney General’s office was not authorized to practice law in the Virgin Islands. He argued that Virgin Islands law provides that AAGs perform duties as directed by the Attorney General and are supervised by the Attorney General, who can delegate any duties to them. The court held that “authorization to practice law is a prerequisite to performing the duties of an Assistant Attorney General.” In addition, Virgin Island statutes require that any rule, regulation or other practice employed by the Attorney General “with respect to the Department of Justice and its personnel” may not be “inconsistent with law or other regulations authorized by law.”