Lawrence Smith News
Wood County attorney suspended for health reasons
CHARLESTON – A Wood County attorney’s career is on hiatus while he recovers from a stroke.
King faced two previous complaints
CHARLESTON – Records show prior to the current ethics charges filed against him, William Kendrick King was disciplined in 2009 for providing legal advice to a former litigant he presided over when he was a circuit judge.
Former McDowell judge facing disciplinary action
CHARLESTON – A former McDowell County circuit judge is accused of scuttling the cases of nearly a half-dozen clients since returning to private practice more than a decade ago.
Former Bluefield firefighter loses appeal
CHARLESTON – The state Supreme Court has affirmed a lower court’s decision that upheld a former Bluefield firefighter’s termination.
Commission narrows search for two circuit judges
Judge Donald Cookman was sworn in as a state senator on Jan. 31. From left, Judge Cookman, Paula Cookman and now-retired Twenty-Sixth Judicial Circuit Judge Thomas Keadle.
Supreme Court agrees to term-ending suspension of family court judge
CHARLESTON – A Putnam County family law judge has been suspended for the remainder of his elected term.
Mercer man claims nose, ribs broken during DUI arrest
BECKLEY – A Mercer County man is accusing four state troopers of an unprovoked beating.
Decorated Huntington police officer sued over arrest
HUNTINGTON – A Huntington police officer who has been recognized for his number of yearly DUI arrests twice in the last three years has had one he made last year called into question.
Trooper accused of excessive force when arresting Raleigh Co. man
BECKLEY – A Raleigh County man is alleging a state trooper was overzealous in arresting him for moving violations.
CIVIL FILINGS: Wood County
Feb. 15
CIVIL FILINGS: Mason County
March 4
Field trip results in wrongful discharge suit against West Virginia State
CHARLESTON – A Nitro woman claims showing compassion for students’ health needs during a field trip last summer got her fired from a local university.
Parkersburg church, Methodist group respond to molestation complaints
St. Andrew's United Methodist in Parkersburg is where two teens say in a lawsuit they were molested by one of their chaperones during a a church-sponsored "lock-in" nearly 2 1/2 years ago. Both SAUMC, and the chaperone, Dave Roberts, deny the allegations and have asked the suit be dismissed.
CIVIL FILINGS: Wood County
Feb. 6
CIVIL FILINGS: Mason County
Jan. 10
CIVIL FILINGS: Jackson County
Feb. 11