Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 49 Part 1.djvu/1859

1814 Rules of practice and procedure. Running of process. Jurisdiction of dis- trict court . Co ncur rent juri sdic- tion with inferior courts . Maritime, etc ., juris- diction . Appeals from Dis- trict Court . Proviso . Restriction . Jury trial in criminal cases . Provisos . If no ju ry demanded . Ordering of jury by judge . Misdemeanor cases . Inferior courts . Concurrent jurisdic- tion with district court in minor civil or crimi- nal cases . Pre lim ina ry inv est i- gations in felony, etc ., charges . Rules, duties, etc . 74TH CONGRESS. SESS. II. CH. 699. JUNE 22, 1936. division at such time as he may designate by order, at least once in two months in each division. The rules of practice and procedure in such district court shall be prescribed by law or ordinance or by rules and regulations of the district judge not inconsistent with law or ordinance . The process of the district court shall run throughout the Virgin Island s. SEC. 28 . T he dis trict c ourt s hall h ave jur isdict ion of- (1) All criminal cases under the laws of the respective munici- palities or under the laws of the, United States applicable to the Virgin Islands ; 2) All cases in equity ; 3) All cases in admiralty ; (4) All cases of divorce and annulment of marriage ; (5) All cases at law involving principal sums exceeding $200 ; (6) All cases involving title to real estate ; (7) All appeals from judgments rendered in the inferior courts ; (8) All matters and p roceedings not otherw ise hereinabove pro- vided for which, on the date of enactment of this Act, were within the jurisdiction of the District Court of the Virgin Islands, or of the judge thereof, or which may hereafter be placed within the jurisdic- tion of the District Court of the Virgin Islands, or of the judge thereof, by local law. The d istrict court shall also h ave co ncurren t juri sdictio n with the inferior courts as provided in section 32 . SEC . 29 . The districtt court shall also have jurisdiction of offenses under the criminal laws of the United States when such offenses are committed on the high seas beyond the territorial limits of the Virgin Islands on vessels belonging in whole or in part to the United States, to any citizen thereof, or to any corporation created by or under the laws of the United States or of any State or Territory thereof, and the offende rs are found in the Virgin Islands or are brought into the Virgin Islands after the commission of the offense . SEC . 30. Appeals from the District Court of the Virgin Islands shall be as provided by law in force on the date of enactment of this Act : Provided, That no appeal shall be predicated upon the existence of a right of appeal under the law of Denmark . SEC. 31. In any criminal case originating in said district court, no person shall be denied the right to trial by jury on the demand of either party : Provided, That if no jury is demanded the case shall be tried by the court without a ju r y : Provided further , That the judge of the district court may, on his own motion, order a jury for the trial of any criminal action : Provided further, That the respective municipal councils of Saint Croix and of Saint Thomas and Saint John, may provide for trial in misdemeanor cases by a ju ry of six qua lified person s . SEc . 32 . The inferior courts shall have jurisdiction concurrent with the district court in all civil cases in which the principal sum claimed does not exceed $200, and of all criminal cases wherein the punishment that may be imposed shall not exceed a fine of $100 or im prison ment no t exce eding s ix mon ths, al l viol ations of pol ice re gu- lations and executive regulations, and any cause or offense wherein jurisdiction hereafter shall have been conferred by local law . Such inferior courts shall hold preliminary investigations in charges of felony and charges of misdemeanor in which the punishment that may b e imposed is beyond the jurisdiction gran ted to the inferior courts by this section, and shall commit offenders to the district court and grant bail in bailable cases . The rules governing said courts and prescribing the duties of inferior judges and inferior court officers, oaths, and bonds, the times and places of holding such