Suspended Putnam family law judge announces retirement

CHARLESTON - A Putnam County family law judge currently suspended for his serial misbehavior has formally decided to hang up his robe.

William M. “Chip” Watkins III on Oct. 3 submitted his letter of resignation to state Supreme Court Chief Justice Brent Benjamin. In his one-page letter, Watkins, 60 and a Teays Valley resident, said only he was announcing “my retirement as Family Court Judge of the 26th Family Court Circuit effective midnight, November 30, 2013.”

In March, the court voted unanimously to accept the recommendation of its Judicial Hearing Board and suspend Watkins for the remainder of his term, which ends December 2016, as punishment for 24 violations of the Code of Judicial Conduct.

Last year, two separate statements were filed against Watkins by the Judicial Investigation Commission for failing to display decorum and respect to both the people that appeared in his court and the judicial system.

Allegations of Watkins’ misconduct first came to light in June when Rev. Arthur D. Hage of Hurricane released a video showing Watkins verbally berating him for the better part of a 15-minute hearing held the month before regarding division of marital property between he and his now ex-wife Lillian.

After being posted on YouTube, the video was viewed more than 200,000 times and made headlines both in the United States and abroad.

Along with ones filed by Mark Hallburn, Robert Harper, Tammy Jo Lambert and Sharon Stinson, alleging they, too, were treated disrespectfully, Hage’s complaint was part of the second statement of charges filed against Watkins on Aug. 31, 2012.

The first statement, filed the month before, stemmed from an extraordinary complaint filed by Steve Canterbury, the court’s administrative director, alleging Watkins and his staff not only failed to timely upload domestic violence protective orders to the court’s registry, but also in taking nearly two years, and under the treat of being held in contempt, to issue rulings in John J. and Nancy Black’s divorce.

Along with the suspension, the court censured Watkins for all 24 violations and ordered he pay the costs incurred to investigate and prosecute the ethics case against him. As of presstime, it remained unknown how much, if any, of the nearly $18,000 he has paid.

In December, Watkins announced he was taking medical leave that allowed him to continue receiving a paycheck, which ended as a result of his suspension and credit toward his retirement. Former Mason Family Law Judge Deloris J. “Jeanie” Nibert was appointed to hear his cases.

Because of his resignation, the state Judicial Vacancy Advisory Commission will begin the process of finding a replacement for Watkins until an election is held to fill his unexpired term.

Peter Markham, spokesman for the commission, was not immediately available for comment as to the deadlines it would set to make a recommendation to Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin.