Case Caption: Alexander vs. Government of the Virgin Islands Case Number: SCT-CIV-2024-0113Date: 01/26/2026Author: Hodge, Rhys S. Citation: 2026 VI 1 Summary: Considering an appeal from the Superior Court’s April 26, 2024 order denying a petition for a writ of coram nobis and an ensuing October 8 ,2024 order denying a motion for reconsideration thereof, although the petitioner filed an untimely notice of appeal, the Supreme Court of the Virgin Islands nevertheless resolves this case on the merits because the Government failed to challenge the timeliness of the appeal and the case involves a pure question of law that was fully briefed by the parties. With respect to the merits, the Superior Court erred in characterizing the March 15, 2010 oral sentence as the final judgment in the petitioner’s criminal case, and in concluding that her coram nobis petition was therefore procedurally barred under the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Chaidez v. United States, 568 U.S. 342 (2013), since the Superior Court’s judgment in the petitioner’s criminal case did not become final until April 8, 2010, subsequent to the issuance of the U.S. Supreme Court’s opinion in Padilla v. Kentucky, 559 U.S. 356 (2010) on March 31 of that same year. Thus, applying the rule announced in Padilla would not constitute a retroactive application thereof, and the petition is not procedurally barred. The Superior Court’s April 26, 2024 order is reversed, as is its October 8, 2024 order denying reconsideration thereof, and the case is remanded to the Superior Court for further proceedings.Attachment: Open Document or Opinion