Senior Magistrate Tamia Richards. Photo:supplied

Ms. Richards’ appointment is effective November 1, 2012.  She received her Bachelor of Laws Degree in 2001 with Upper Second Class Honours from the University of the West Indies. Between 2001 and 2003, she attended the Eugene Dupuch Law School in Nassau, The Bahamas, one of the law schools under the Council of Legal Education of the West Indies.  In 2003, she received a Legal Education Certificate of Merit from the Eugene Dupuch Law School.

In 2002 she earned the award for Top Student in Year I and in 2003 she earned the award for Top Student in Year II. In 2003, she also received the award for Top Student over two years and was appointed to the Principal’s Role of Honour.  As a result, she was the student respondent at the law school’s commencement ceremony held in September 2003.

Ms. Richards joined the Public Service in August 2003 as a Professional Cadet in the Attorney General’s Chambers, was called to the Bar and was appointed to the post of Crown Counsel.  In 2006 she was promoted to the post of Senior Crown Counsel. 

Ms. Richards was transferred to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions in 2007.  She resigned from the Public Service in 2008 and joined a local law firm as an Associate Attorney.

In April 2010, she was appointed Additional Magistrate for the Territory on a part-time basis and appointed full-time Additional Magistrate on April 18, 2011.

Speaking to the Department of Information and Public Relations about her appointment, Ms. Richards said, “I am humbled by my appointment as Senior Magistrate and give credit for my accomplishments to the support of my family and teachers over the years, she said adding,  “I recognise that without the help of a sound public school education and the help of the committed men and women of the teaching profession who taught me from Stage 1 through to Law School, my accomplishments could not have materialised.  To such teachers, and the tax payers of the Virgin Islands, I remain forever grateful.”

As Senior Magistrate Ms. Richards is responsible for trying persons charged with summary offences; conducting preliminary inquiries into indictable offences; trying civil actions founded in contract or tort where the amount claimed does not exceed $10,000; hearing and determining applications made under the Juvenile Act; hearing and determining all complaints laid under the Physical Planning Act; hearing applications for Liquor Licenses;  serving as Coroner, and conducting inquests into unnatural deaths occurring within the Territory; supervising the execution of writs and supervising and managing the judicial operations of the Magistrate's Courts in the Territory.