CHARLESTON – Jim Douglas, one of the candidates for family court judge in Kanawha County, has nearly 40 years of experience in family law.
Douglas, who will have 39 years in family law in May, and has worked exclusively in family law for 25 years, said he's looking forward to running for family law judge.
"Family law is important," Douglas said. "I want to be back doing public service and I want to do this in Kanawha County."
Douglas said he brings a lot of practical and academic experience with him wants to use that experience to be a great family law judge.
"This is the first year it is non-partisan, which is a big reason why I finally decided to run," Douglas said. "Being a judge is no longer political and is on your merit and experience."
Douglas said he wants to stay in Kanawha County, where he has been a legal resident since 2010.
"I've had a law office here for 10 years, and I really love this city," he said. "It's nice to look out your window and see the capitol."
Douglas has practiced family law in 44 of West Virginia's 55 counties and has been on many committees and boards during his years.
"This is where I want to be and what I want to do," he said.
Douglas is one of six lawyers in West Virginia that are a part of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers and one of two lawyers who teaches continuing legal education classes with the Legal Educational Institute of Colorado Bar Association.
Douglas also regularly teaches CLEs for the Kanawha Bench Bar and has written several articles regarding family law.
Douglas has also argued more than 40 cases in front of the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals.
Douglas graduated from law school at West Virginia University in 1977 and has a master's degree in German history and literature from WVU, as well as a bachelor's degree in history and political science from Morris Harvey College, which became University of Charleston.
Douglas has three children: a daughter who is a paralegal, a son who is a doctor and another son who is an attorney and is currently an Assistant U.S. Attorney in Wheeling.
