Opinion ID: 785213
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Substantial Proof of the Charge Pending

Text: 47 The Courts of Appeals have generally held that the substantial proof requirement of 18 U.S.C. § 3731 is a requirement of the certification, not a requirement of actual fact. See In re Grand Jury Investigation, 599 F.2d at 1226. 13 The certification under 18 U.S.C. § 3731 must state both (1) that the appeal is not taken for the purpose of delay; and (2) that the evidence is a substantial proof of a material fact in the proceeding. The United States Attorney's word is enough; the reviewing court does not consider the truth of the certification. 48 If 4 V.I.Code § 39(a)(1) were worded identically to 18 U.S.C. § 3731, on which In re Grand Jury Investigation is binding precedent, this would certainly be the end of it. But the Virgin Islands statute is not clearly drafted: It is missing an additional that immediately before the evidence is a substantial proof, which would make it grammatically unambiguous. As it now stands, it could be read to require essentially the same two certification elements that 18 U.S.C. § 3731 does; or it could be read (as the defendants urge) to require a certification that the appeal is not taken for delay, and also require that, in actual fact, the evidence be substantial proof. 49 We decline to read it as the defendants would have it, for four reasons. First, the Virgin Islands statute is plainly modeled on the federal statute, and we conclude it is best to follow the federal statute as a guide. Second, if the Virgin Islands Legislature actually wanted the statute to operate as the defendants would have it, there were far less cryptic ways of communicating that intent. For example, the Virgin Islands Legislature could have put the substantial proof requirement before the certification clause. Third, the statute is silent on what court would evaluate the substantiality of the proof, or on how that court would go about the evaluation, suggesting that no such review is to be undertaken. Fourth, review of the substantiality of the proof necessarily entails a look at the other evidence that the Government has available to it, an inquiry that could both take considerable time and prejudice the Government's case. Both of these seem at odds with the expedited interlocutory appellate review contemplated by the statute. 14 Thus, we conclude that the Appellate Division did not need to evaluate the substantiality of the proof in order to accept the certification.