Governor Albert Bryan Jr. has nominated Magistrate Judge Venetia Harvey Velazquez to serve as a judge of the Superior Court of the Virgin Islands for the St. Croix District, citing her long and diverse record of public service and legal leadership across multiple branches of government.
“Judge Velazquez has served our justice system from nearly every seat in the courtroom,” Governor Bryan said. “She has tried cases, protected constitutional rights on appeal, managed court operations, advised law enforcement and led complex civil litigation. That record shows fairness, discipline, and respect for the rule of law. I look forward to a careful review and a favorable vote by the 36th Legislature.”
If confirmed, Judge Velazquez would bring more than two decades of experience in law, government, and the judiciary to the bench. Her legal career began in 2000 as a law clerk for Judge Maria M. Cabret at the then-Territorial Court. Two years later, she joined the Appellate Division of the U.S. District Court of the Virgin Islands as a staff attorney, a position she held until 2007.
From 2007 to 2013, Velazquez served as Clerk of the Courts for both the Superior Court and the Supreme Court of the Virgin Islands, overseeing administrative operations and court management during a pivotal period of judicial transition.
Her experience extended beyond the judiciary when she took on roles in public defense and executive counsel. Between 2014 and 2015, she worked as an appellate public defender, followed by service as Deputy General Counsel in the Office of the Governor from 2015 to 2016.
In 2016, Velazquez joined the Virgin Islands Department of Justice as an Assistant Attorney General, handling both criminal prosecutions and civil litigation. She served as Acting Chief of the Civil Division from April 2023 through October 2024, where she played a key role in the settlement cases involving the Jeffrey Epstein Estate.
Since November 2024, she has served as a magistrate judge, presiding over criminal bench trials, civil matters, and family cases, issuing warrants and mediating disputes.
Velazquez’s academic background reflects exceptional achievement. She earned her Juris Doctor from Howard University School of Law, magna cum laude, graduating fifth in a class of about 130. At Howard, she served on the Howard Law Journal and received multiple awards for excellence in legal research, appellate advocacy, and courses including remedies, corporations, and secured transactions.
She also holds a Master of Arts in Education Administration and Leadership from the University of the Virgin Islands, summa cum laude, and a Bachelor of Arts in Human Communication Studies and Political Science, magna cum laude, from Howard University.
Her professional training includes completion of the National Judicial College’s general jurisdiction program for trial judges, and participation in a 2025 judicial academy for aspiring judges. She has been a certified court manager, mediator, and arbitrator since 2012, with Florida Supreme Court certification in appellate and family mediation.
Judge Velazquez is admitted to practice before the Supreme Court of the Virgin Islands, the United States Supreme Court, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, and the U.S. District Court of the Virgin Islands. She has also appeared pro hac vice in the Southern District of New York and made special appearances in the District of Columbia.
Governor Bryan will now transmit her nomination to the 36th Legislature for its advice and consent, where lawmakers will review her qualifications before a confirmation vote.
British Caribbean News
