Resource: Will the Virgin Islands finally end the practice of conscripting non-qualified lawyers to represent the indigent accused?

Although the Virgin Islands has a territorial public defender office, trial court administrative rules historically authorized judges to conscript any attorney barred in the territory – divorce lawyers and real estate lawyers included – to provide representation to the indigent accused in conflict cases. The Virgin Islands Supreme Court ordered an end to that practice, but stayed enforcement to allow the lower court time to create a better appointment system. The stay deadline has come and gone, and no one is really sure if the newly devised conflict appointment system has Virgin Islands Supreme Court approval or not.

[https://perma.cc/BX89-ETRD]