THIS JUST IN: Kanawha County

Sept. 4
Jason Barnette v. West Virginia Board of Law Examiners, et al
PA – Jason L. Matthews; J – King
* Jason Barnette filed a suit against the West Virginia Board of Law Examiners, seeking to have his Tennessee multi-state bar exam score counted toward his West Virginia score. Barnette claims he took the Tennessee and West Virginia exams and failed the West Virginia exam. However, when he applied to retake the exam he requested that the successful score from the Tennessee MBE be added to the West Virginia test. Barnette claims the board has allowed other applicants in similar situations to apply their MBE scores to West Virginia exams. According to the Rules of Admission to the Practice of Law in West Virginia, an applicant that successfully completed a bar exam in another state within 13 months of the current exam can use that score in lieu of taking the multi-state bar exam in West Virginia. Using that rule, Barnette claims his Tennessee score should be used. Barnette seeks a mandamus petition, allowing him to apply his multi-state bar examination score from his successful Tennessee score to his West Virginia State Bar Examination.
Case number: 08-C-1703

Sept. 5
Joanna Allen v. Go-Mart, Inc
PA – William Harding; J – Stucky
* Joanna Allen filed a suit against the Go-Mart in St. Albans after she slipped and fell on the premises. According to the suit, Allen was a customer when she slipped on a hazardous area on the premises. Allen claims she was exercising extraordinary care at the time she fell. Allen claims she suffered physical pain and suffering, mental anguish, limitations in her activities and a diminution of her ability to enjoy life. Allen seeks damages for her pain and suffering, medical bills and related costs and court costs.
Case number: 08-C-1714

Sept. 9
Angela Denise Bunting v. Trooper Jones, Trooper Simmons, Trooper Fry, Colonel David L. Lemmon, Trooper John Doe, The West Virginia Department of Military Affairs and Public Safety, West Virginia State Police
PA – Mark French; J – Kaufman
* Angela Bunting filed a suit against four State Troopers, the State Police superintendent and the West Virginia Department of Military Affairs and Public Safety. According to the suit, Bunting was arrested at a Logan County gentlemen's club. Bunting claims she was shackled to the floor at the Logan County state police department and beaten by the four officers. Bunting claims one officer used pepper spray to spray on Bunting's unprotected genitalia. She claims she was beaten on the face, stomach, back, arms, torso and legs. Bunting also spit blood at the officers and falsely stated she had HIV in an effort to get them to stop beating her. In the nine-count suit, Bunting claims she suffered emotional distress, mental anguish, humiliation, embarrassment, loss of self-confidence and trust and economic loss, including, but not limited to, medical expenses and loss of income. Bunting claims the defendants acted in ways that violated state law, including malicious prosecution, abuse of process and negligence.
Case number: 08-C-1739

Janelle Rockhold v. Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College, and James P. Owens
PA – Matthew Criswell; J – King
* Janelle Rockhold filed a suit against Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College and James P. Owens, the Vice President for Student Services. Rockhold claims she was a student in a work-study program supervised by Owens. During that time, Rockhold claims Owens repeatedly sexually harassed her. Rockhold claims she suffered severe emotional and mental distress, humiliation, anxiety, embarrassment, aggravation, annoyance and inconvenience. In the eight-count suit, Rockhold seeks compensatory and punitive damages.
Case number: 08-C-1740

Vickie L. Damron v. Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College, James P. Owens
PA – Matthew Criswell; J – King
* Vickie L. Damron filed a suit against Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College and James P. Owens, the Vice President for Student Services. Damron was the secretary for Owens, starting in 1998. During that time, Damron claims Owens repeatedly sexually harassed her. Damron claims she suffered severe emotional and mental distress, humiliation, anxiety, embarrassment, aggravation, annoyance and inconvenience. In the nine-count suit, Damron seeks compensatory and punitive damages.
Case number: 08-C-1742

Sept. 11
Carl E. Hoffman v. City of St. Albans, as owner and operator of the Hansford Senior Center
PA – Jonathan R. Mani; J – Stucky
* Carl Hoffman filed a suit against the city of St. Albans, after he was injured at the Hansford Senior Center. According to the suit, Hoffman was working as a volunteer at the center, which the chair he was in fell out from under him. Hoffman claims he suffered serious injuries to his spine from the fall. According to the suit, several agencies, including OSHA, warn of the risk that hard rolling coasters and hard tile floors combine to make. Hoffman claims he suffered serious physical pain and injury, incurred medical expenses, suffered from mental anguish, nervousness and a lost capacity to participate in life's activities, suffered from a loss of enjoyment of life and suffered permanent damage to his spine. According to the suit, Hoffman seeks compensatory and punitive damages.
Case number: 08-C-1756

Sept. 12
Lester Haynes v. McDonald's Restaurants of WV
PA – Lisa DiTrapano Fairless; J – Zakaib
* Lester Haynes filed a suit against McDonald's after he slipped on a sidewalk covered in ice. According to the suit, Haynes went to McDonald's on MacCorkle Avenue. While walking into the restaurant, he slipped on a portion of sidewalk covered with ice. Haynes fell and broke the humerus bone in his right arm and suffered additional injuries to his right side, arm and shoulder. According to the suit, Haynes suffered pain and suffering, medical expenses, and loss of enjoyment of life. He seeks compensatory and punitive damages.
Case number: 08-C-1760