Rhys S. Hodge at a glance
- Current role
- Chief Justice
- Jurisdiction
- U.S. Virgin Islands · State
- Judicial service
- Active
Rhys S. Hodge
Chief Justice · Supreme Court of the Virgin Islands
Rhys S. Hodge — Supreme Court of the Virgin Islands
Biography
Professional career
- The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the U.S. Virgin Islands, a position he has held since his first judicial appointment in 2000, and is recognized for his legal scholarship, judicial service, and community leadership
- His tenure began with his first swearing-in as a Superior Court judge on June 23, 2000, and he subsequently became Presiding Judge of the Superior Court in 2006
- Before joining the judiciary, he clerked for the late Chief Judge Almeric L. Christian of the District Court of the Virgin Islands, opened his own law firm in 1979, and practiced law for 21 years.
- Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the U.S. Virgin Islands, the highest judicial office in the territory’s court system
- Chief Justice Hodge is the current head of the judiciary and a key figure in the territory’s legal system
Education
- Rutgers University School of Law–Camden in, earning the American Jurisprudence Award for top marks in constitutional law — J.D. (1977)
Additional information
- Born on the British island of Anguilla, Hodge graduated from Valley Secondary School in 1965 and later attended the College of the Virgin Islands before transferring to Kansas State University, where he obtained a B.S. degree in 1971.
- He presides over the court’s appellate work, advises the judiciary, and represents the court in public and professional matters.
- He is admitted to practice before the courts of the Virgin Islands, Pennsylvania, and the U.S. Courts of Appeals for the Third and Federal Circuits.
- Past Chairman of the Ethics and Grievance Committee and Continuing Legal Education Committee
- His work combines judicial decision-making, legal education, and advocacy for the rule of law in the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Published courtroom rules
Shared court rules
Virgin Islands Supreme Court — published oral argument practices
Supreme Court of the Virgin Islands
Official IOP amended April 1, 2014, partial reader capture. The introduction expressly states these internal practices do NOT have the force of law, do not govern practice before the Court and create no enforceable rights. Display as dated informational shared guidance only; rules, notices and later orders control. Shared baseline only, not a judge-specific preference or complete local rules inventory. Apply source exceptions, case-type limits, later amendments and case orders.
Official source ↗ · Collected 2026-10-27Sources
Biography sources checked October 11, 2026.