Rule 37. Joinder in landlord and tenant cases

Summary proceedings between landlord and tenant for the recovery of possession of premises and for forcible entry and detainer which are brought under the provisions of 28 V.I.C. ' 781 et seq. shall not be joined with any other cause of action; nor shall a defendant, in any such proceeding, be permitted to file a counterclaim or third-party complaint, although the defendant is permitted to raise any defenses he may have to the plaintiff's cause.--Amended May 14, 1982.

Docketing of landlord and tenant cases, see Rule 44, Rules Governing the Territorial Court of the Virgin Islands.

Jurisdiction

Severance of damage issues

Even if the Territorial Court's consolidation, subsequent vacation, and reinstatement of the debt and forcible detainer actions violated both the letter and spirit of the Virgin Islands Forcible Entry and Detainer statutes, as well as Terr. Ct. Rules 37, this procedural embroglio would not necessarily have divested the Territorial Court of its abiding common law jurisdiction over landlord-tenant disputes. Saja Cloth v. Mongoose Juncition II, D.C.V.I. 1995, 32 V.I. 315, 162 F.R.D. 91, aff'd, 101 F.3d 691 (3d Cir. 1996).

Severance of damage issues

Court is entitled to sever damage issues in a trial concerning evictions. Hopewell Company, Inc. v. Asserson, D.C.V.I. 1969, 7 V.I. 291, 297 F. Supp. 376.