The Alexander A. Farrelly Justice Center (hereinafter Justice Center) was dedicated on August 20, 1993. The Justice Center is three stories consisting of three wings. The North Wing houses the Virgin Islands Police Department and the Bureau of Corrections. The East and South Wings houses the Superior Court of the Virgin Islands. The building was designed by architectural firm of deJongh and Associates.

The Superior Courthouse on the island of St. Thomas features a total area of 52,000 square feet, comprised of four (4) jury trial courtrooms and the Family Division which is complete with its own jury trial courtroom. It also contains all the divisions of the Court including Office of the Court Administrator, the Clerk’s Office, the Law library, the Office of Probation and the Superior Court Marshal’s Office. The Courthouse is outfitted with handicap access to all levels and Braille signs which are posted to assist the visually impaired. The Justice Center is located in downtown Charlotte Amalie over looking our pristine harbor.

The Justice Center was dedicated in honor of Governor Alexander Anthony Farrelly, who was born on December 29, 1923 on St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands to Patrick and Mary (nee Hardcastle) Farrelly. He grew up in the town of Frederiksted and attended St. Patrick’s Parochial School from which he graduated in 1940.

After high school, Farrelly entered the United States Army, where he served with distinction and attained the rank of Sergeant before his honorable discharge in 1946. He attended St. John’s College in New York, graduating in 1951 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in History and Government. Upon graduation from college, Farrelly continued his education at St. John’s University Law School, receiving his Bachelor of Law degree in 1954. Farrelly began his legal career in 1955 as a practicing attorney in New York City; and in 1959 was appointed to the professional staff of the United Nations by the Secretary General of the United Nations as a Caribbean area specialist. In 1960, Farrelly entered Yale Law School to pursue a specialty in labor law and in 1961 earned his Master of Laws degree. Returning to the Virgin Islands in 1962, Farrelly was appointed by the Attorney General of the United States as an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of the Virgin Islands. In 1965 he became a judge of the Municipal Court of the Virgin Islands. In 1966, he was elected as a Senator-at Large to the Seventh Legislature of the Virgin Islands. In addition to his duties a two-term senator, in 1967, Farrelly also became a partner in the law firm of Birch, Maduro, deJongh and Farrelly and served as the firm’s principal litigator until his election as the territory’s fourth elected Governor in 1986. He was reelected in 1990; the Governor was awarded two (2) honorary degrees of Doctor of Laws from the University in New York.

The dedication of the Alexander A. Farrelly Justice Center comes as a celebration of the life and accomplishments of Governor Farrelly, who had dedicated his life to serving the people of the Virgin Islands. May all who enter this building be reminded of the great promise of truth, fairness and justice that Governor Farrelly envisioned for the people of the Virgin Islands.