With great sadness, the Honorable Wilma A. Lewis, Chief Judge of the District Court of the Virgin Islands announces the passing of the Honorable Stanley S. Brotman on Friday, February 21, 2014.

 

Judge Brotman was a legal fixture in the Virgin Islands Judiciary for decades, shaping the judiciary and local jurisprudence. He was appointed as a federal judge for the District of New Jersey by President Gerald Ford in 1975, and began sitting by designation in the Virgin Islands in 1979. From December 1989 to August 1992, Judge Brotman served as Acting Chief Judge of the District Court of the Virgin Islands. During that time, he shepherded the Court through the onslaught of Hurricane Hugo, rebuilding the courthouses and continuing his commitment to improve the judicial system of the Virgin Islands. Judge Brotman served the District Court of the Virgin Islands until his retirement in September of 2013.

 

During his judicial tenure, Judge Brotman also appeared periodically on the Third Circuit Court of Appeals and sat on the United States Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (the FISA Court) for a seven year term. Despite these varied experiences, the Virgin Islands and its people held a very special place in his heart. As recounted in his obituary, Judge Brotman’s tenure in the Virgin Islands “led to a very close, deep, mutual respect and bond with the Virgin Islands and its people.”

 

Judge Lewis remarks, “Judge Brotman was a giant among men, who walked humbly amidst his Virgin Islands District Court family. We will remember him fondly for his calm demeanor, genuine interest in the lives of the Court personnel, and his unwavering love for the Virgin Islands. Judge Brotman will be missed, but the legacy he leaves on the District Court of the Virgin Islands and our territory will exist in perpetuity.”

 

The District Court family extends its condolences to Judge Brotman’s wife, Suzanne, his son, Richard, and his daughter, Alison.

 

The Honorable Stanley S. Brotman will be laid to rest on Tuesday, February 25, 2014 in Norma, New Jersey.