March 27, 2009 — Darryl Dean Donohue, Sr., presiding judge of the V.I. Superior Court, Friday announced the appointment of four attorneys to serve as magistrates in the newly created Magistrate Division of the court.
Alan D. Smith and Kathleen Mackay were appointed to serve in the St. Thomas-St. John Division; Miguel Camacho and Jessica Gallivan will serve in the St. Croix Division.
The appointments are dependent on the successful outcome of a background investigation, which must be completed by the V.I. Department of Justice. They were made after a rigorous review process by a panel in each district and consideration by the judges of the Superior Court.
Smith brings more than 27 years of legal experience to the position. He has practiced extensively in both criminal and civil law, having served as both a public defender, prosecutor, and private practitioner. He served six years as a public defender before being named chief territorial public defender. He then served seven years in various roles as an assistant attorney general of the Virgin Islands, before serving as commissioner of the Department of Planning and Natural Resources. He is presently with the law firm of Hodge & Francois on St. Thomas.
Mackay's legal career covers more than 23 years and reflects an extensive civil litigation background. She is a partner in the law firm of Mackay & Hodge, LLC, on St. Thomas. Prior to joining the firm, she served as a sole practitioner and as an associate with the firm of Hodge & Francois.
Camacho brings to the court more than 22 years of legal experience. While beginning his career as an assistant attorney general of the Virgin Islands, Camacho has dedicated much of his career to criminal defense as a territorial public defender, the position he currently holds. He also served as legal counsel to two government agencies and as a senator in the District of St. Croix from 1997 to 1999.
Gallivan, a 13-year member of the Virgin Islands bar, served six years as an assistant attorney general and later as a civil practitioner with the law office of Michael Sanford. Gallivan is currently the chief labor negotiator in the government's Office of Collective Bargaining.
Judge Donohue extended his appreciation to Gov. John de Jongh Jr. and the Legislature for making implementation of the Magistrate Division possible.
"The people of the Virgin Islands will be the direct beneficiaries of this hard work, Donohue said. "Moreover, given the wealth and breadth of experience of the four appointees, I am confident that the Magistrate Division will serve its intended purpose of improving both the delivery and timeliness of service and permit judges to now dedicate more of their time to promptly resolving criminal and civil trial matters."
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