To amend the Revised Organic Act of the Virgin Islands to provide for direct review by the United States Supreme Court of decisions of the Virgin Islands Supreme Court, and for other purposes.

(This measure has not been amended since it was passed by the House on November 14, 2012. The summary of that version is repeated here.)

Amends the Revised Organic Act of the Virgin Islands, with respect to the judicial procedure for appealing from the decisions of courts of the Virgin Islands to courts of the United States, to remove the temporary jurisdiction of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit to review by a writ of certiorari the final decisions of the highest court of the Virgin Islands.

Authorizes final judgments or decrees rendered by the Supreme Court of the Virgin Islands to be reviewed by the U.S. Supreme Court by writ of certiorari where the validity of a treaty or statute of the United States is drawn in question or where the validity of a statute of the Virgin Islands is drawn in question on the ground of its being repugnant to the Constitution, treaties, or laws of the United States, or where any title, right, privilege, or immunity is specially set up or claimed under the Constitution or the treaties or statutes of, or any commission held or authority exercised under, the United States.

Applies such U.S. Supreme Court reviewing authority to cases commenced on or after enactment of this Act.

[112th Congress Public Law 226]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]



[[Page 126 STAT. 1606]]

Public Law 112-226
112th Congress

                                 An Act


 
 To amend the Revised Organic Act of the Virgin Islands to provide for 
  direct review by the United States Supreme Court of decisions of the 
 Virgin Islands Supreme Court, and for other purposes. <<NOTE: Dec. 28, 
                         2012 -  [H.R. 6116]>> 

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. DIRECT REVIEW BY U.S. SUPREME COURT OF DECISIONS OF 
                              VIRGIN ISLANDS SUPREME COURT.

    Section 23 of the Revised Organic Act of the Virgin Islands (48 
U.S.C. 1613) is amended by striking ``:  Provided, That'' and all that 
follows through the end and inserting a period.
SEC. 2. JURISDICTION OF THE SUPREME COURT.

    (a) In General.--Chapter 81 of title 28, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following:
``Sec. 1260. Supreme <<NOTE: 28 USC 1260.>>  Court of the Virgin 
                  Islands; certiorari

    ``Final judgments or decrees rendered by the Supreme Court of the 
Virgin Islands may be reviewed by the Supreme Court by writ of 
certiorari where the validity of a treaty or statute of the United 
States is drawn in question or where the validity of a statute of the 
Virgin Islands is drawn in question on the ground of its being repugnant 
to the Constitution, treaties, or laws of the United States, or where 
any title, right, privilege, or immunity is specially set up or claimed 
under the Constitution or the treaties or statutes of, or any commission 
held or authority exercised under, the United States.''.
    (b) Conforming Amendment.--The table of sections for chapter 81 of 
title 28, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the 
following new item:

``1260. Supreme Court of the Virgin Islands; certiorari.''.

[[Page 126 STAT. 1607]]

SEC. 3. EFFECTIVE DATE.

    The amendments made by this Act apply to cases commenced on or after 
the date of the enactment of this Act.

    Approved December 28, 2012.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY--H.R. 6116:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 158 (2012):
            Nov. 14, considered and passed House.
            Dec. 13, considered and passed Senate.

                                  <all>