Senate rules committee forwards two Superior Court nominees after hour‑long questioning
November 13, 2025 | 2025 Legislature, Virgin Islands
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The Senate Committee on Rules and Judiciary on Nov. 13 voted to forward two of Governor Albert Bryan Jr.’s Superior Court nominees to the full 30th Legislature after a public hearing that examined both nominees’ qualifications and plans for the bench.
Judge Venetia H. Velasquez, the governor’s nominee for the St. Croix Division, described a decades‑long legal career that included clerkships, service as a magistrate judge and leadership roles across the justice system. Velasquez told the committee she has prioritized case management in prior roles: in the past year she said she issued 570 civil orders and closed 532 civil cases and emphasized using early case review, deadlines and differentiated case management to reduce backlog.
Melanie L. Turnbull, nominated for the Family Division, described her work as a public defender and assistant federal public defender and said she would emphasize access to justice, alternative dispute resolution and digitized forms and checklists to help unrepresented litigants navigate the court system.
Committee members pressed both nominees on practical steps to address delays across criminal, civil and family dockets. Secretary Avery L. Lewis and others asked about differentiated case management, how judges should handle pro se litigants and specific tools for triaging caseloads. Velasquez said she routinely looks at cases early in their life, issues orders to comply to set expectations and uses timelines she developed as clerk of court; Turnbull urged mediation and stricter continuance standards in family cases.
Several senators also asked about juvenile rehabilitation and mental‑health‑related competency matters. Turnbull said she favors rehabilitation approaches and restorative justice options for juveniles; Velasquez said courts must coordinate with other agencies and sometimes require reports or evaluations to ensure appropriate treatment for people whose mental health needs intersect with criminal matters.
After roughly two hours of questioning, Senator Kenneth L. Gittens moved to vote favorably on Velasquez and Senator Avery L. Lewis moved to vote favorably on Turnbull. Roll calls in the committee recorded six yes votes and one absent for each nomination, and both were forwarded to the full Legislature for consideration.
The committee’s action means both nominees will appear on the Senate floor calendar for a final confirmation vote by all senators.
Judge Venetia H. Velasquez, the governor’s nominee for the St. Croix Division, described a decades‑long legal career that included clerkships, service as a magistrate judge and leadership roles across the justice system. Velasquez told the committee she has prioritized case management in prior roles: in the past year she said she issued 570 civil orders and closed 532 civil cases and emphasized using early case review, deadlines and differentiated case management to reduce backlog.
Melanie L. Turnbull, nominated for the Family Division, described her work as a public defender and assistant federal public defender and said she would emphasize access to justice, alternative dispute resolution and digitized forms and checklists to help unrepresented litigants navigate the court system.
Committee members pressed both nominees on practical steps to address delays across criminal, civil and family dockets. Secretary Avery L. Lewis and others asked about differentiated case management, how judges should handle pro se litigants and specific tools for triaging caseloads. Velasquez said she routinely looks at cases early in their life, issues orders to comply to set expectations and uses timelines she developed as clerk of court; Turnbull urged mediation and stricter continuance standards in family cases.
Several senators also asked about juvenile rehabilitation and mental‑health‑related competency matters. Turnbull said she favors rehabilitation approaches and restorative justice options for juveniles; Velasquez said courts must coordinate with other agencies and sometimes require reports or evaluations to ensure appropriate treatment for people whose mental health needs intersect with criminal matters.
After roughly two hours of questioning, Senator Kenneth L. Gittens moved to vote favorably on Velasquez and Senator Avery L. Lewis moved to vote favorably on Turnbull. Roll calls in the committee recorded six yes votes and one absent for each nomination, and both were forwarded to the full Legislature for consideration.
The committee’s action means both nominees will appear on the Senate floor calendar for a final confirmation vote by all senators.
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