CHARLESTON – Kanawha Circuit Judge Jim Stucky is resigning because of medical issues.
Stucky, who had served as a judge since 1997, hadn’t heard cases since early March because of his health. He submitted his resignation letter April 17 to Gov. Jim Justice. He seeks disability retirement.
“Due to medical conditions … I hereby am submitting my application for disability retirement,” Stucky wrote. “Upon your acceptance of my disability retirement from the Judges’ Retirement System, I tender my resignation upon the close of business on April 30, 2018.
“It has been an honor and privilege to serve the citizens of Kanawha County during my twenty years of service.”
Senior Status Judge Thomas Evans from Jackson County had been hearing Stucky’s cases. Evans asked for that appointment to end April 20, so state Supreme Court Chief Justice Margaret Workman appointed Senior Status Judge David Pancake from Cabell County to take over April 23, according to an April 18 order.
Stucky worked in the Kanawha County prosecutor’s office in the late 1970s before becoming prosecutor in the mid-1980s. Then, former Gov. Cecil Underwood appointed him to the judgeship in 1997. He since has been elected to eight-year terms, the last being in 2016.
There are six years left on his current term, and Justice will appoint his replacement until the November general election when someone will be elected to fill the rest of Stucky’s term.
"Judge Stucky is one of the finest men I've ever worked with," said Kanawha County Commission President Kent Carper, who also is an attorney. "He has an unblemished career as a private attorney, prosecutor and judge.
"I've known Jim for more than 35 years. He and I have tried cases together. I've appeared before him, and I've had the privilege of supporting him."