Chief Justice Rhys S. Hodge informs the public and the members of the Virgin Islands Bar Association that the Honorable Verne A. Hodge Sr., Presiding Judge Emeritus of the Superior Court of the Virgin Islands, is the recipient of the 2024 Chief Justice’s Award for Distinguished Service to the Judiciary of the Virgin Islands. This award is presented only to an individual who has provided exceptionally distinguished service to the cause of Virgin Islands jurisprudence or the administration of justice in the Virgin Islands.
Judge Hodge is credited with laying the institutional and structural foundation of the modern-day Virgin Islands Superior Court, both literally and figuratively.
He oversaw the planning, financing and construction of the R. H Amphlett Leader Complex on St. Croix, the Alexander A. Farrelly Justice Center on St. Thomas and established a court presence on St. John; presided over the very first-degree murder jury trial in the local judiciary; and instituted the first comprehensive amendments to the Territorial Court’s rules of procedure.
Perhaps most importantly, Hodge implemented a central administrative structure for the management of the entire court and went out of his way to protect the best interests of all court employees.
By the time of his retirement as presiding judge in 1999, he had left a legacy and has indelibly secured his place in the annals of Virgin Islands history. In retirement, Hodge continues to serve as a Designated Justice of the Supreme Court of the Virgin Islands where he continues to contribute to the further development of the Virgin Islands law.
The award was presented during the 2024 Judicial Conference.
