West Virginia

West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals By The Numbers:

Justice

Former prosecutor

  • 5 total seats
  • 0 current vacancies
  • 2 prosecutors
  • 0 public defenders
  • 0 Justices have other indigent defense experience
  • 0 civil rights lawyers

How Members of the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals are Selected:

Nonpartisan Election

Justices are selected in nonpartisan elections to 12-year terms. Interim selections to fill vacancies that occur between elections are made by governor appointment from a list prepared by the West Virginia Judicial Vacancy Advisory Commission. The Commission is an eight-member, governor-appointed body that includes four public, non-lawyer members and four attorneys.

Selection method sources:

Ballotpedia, Judicial Election Methods By State; Brennan Center for Justice, Judicial Selection: An Interactive Map; West Virginia Legislature, §3-10-3a. Judicial Vacancy Advisory Commission