CHARLESTON – Many incumbent circuit court judges from across West Virginia have filed paperwork to retain their seats.
In Kanawha County (Eighth Circuit), all of the incumbent judges – Stephanie Abraham, Maryclaire Akers, Jennifer Bailey, Ken Ballard, Dave Hardy, Tera Salango and Carrie Webster have filed to run for their seats. Intermediate Court of Appeals deputy clerk Ashley Deem has filed as a challenger against Bailey in Division 5.And former state senator Richard Lindsay has filed for the newly created Division 8 seat.
Circuit Court judges are elected every eight years. Judicial races are non-partisan, so the seats are decided in the May primaries. And in this year’s May 14 election, new realignment that goes into effect in 2025 will change some of the circuit numbers and counties included. In addition, a few new judicial seats are being included.
There now will be 30 judicial circuits with a total of 80 circuit judges across the state. Some circuits are single counties while others include up to four counties. Some circuits will have eight circuit judges, while others will have one.
As of January 23, here are the list of those who have filed with the Secretar of State’s office. The filing deadline is January 27.
In the First Circuit that covers Ohio, Hancock and Brooke counties, incumbents Jason A. Cuomo, Michael J. Olejasz, David A. Sims and Ronald E. Wilson all have filed. Joseph Barki has filed as a challenger to Wilson’s Division 1 seat.
In the Second Circuit that covers Marshall, Wetzel and Tyler counties, incumbents C. Richard Wilson and Jeffrey Cramer have filed.
In the Third Circuit that covers Pleasants, Ritchie, Doddridge and Wirt counties, incumbent Timothy Sweeney has filed. Leslie L. Maze has filed for the newly created second seat in that district.
In Wood County (Fourth Circuit), incumbents J.D. Beane, Robert “Bob” Waters and Jason A. Wharton have filed.
In the Fifth Circuit that covers Jackson, Mason, Calhoun and Roane counties, incumbents Anita Harold Ashley, Lora Dyer and Richard Craig Tatterson have filed. Joshua Downey of Spencer has filed as a challenger to Ashley’s Division 3 seat.
In Cabell County (Sixth Circuit, incumbents Paul T. Farrell, Sean “Corky” Hammers and Greg Howard have filed. Incumbent Alfred E. Ferguson has not filed, but Chad Lovejoy has filed for that seat.
In Putnam County (Seventh Circuit), incumbents Phillip M. Stowers and Joe Reeder are seeking re-election. Hurricane attorney Jon D. Hoover has filed as a challenger to Stowers’ seat.
In the Ninth Circuit that covers Boone and Lincoln counties, incumbents Jay Michael Hoke and Stacy Lynn Nowicki-Eldridge have filed.
In Wayne County (10th Circuit), incumbents Jason J. Fry and James H. Young Jr. have filed.
In the 11th Circuit that will include Logan and Mingo counties, incumbents Kelly Codispoti, Joshua Butcher and Miki Thompson have filed. Sabrina Leigh Deskins also has filed as a challenger to Thompson’s seat.
In the 12th Circuit that will include McDowell and Wyoming counties, incumbent Rick Murensky has filed. Clayton W. Patterson will challenge him for that seat, while Joshua Thompson has filed for the second seat. Incumbents Edward Kornish and Michael Cochrane have not yet filed.
In Mercer County (13th Circuit), incumbents William J. Sadler and Mark Wills have filed. Ryan Flanigan, Kelli Harshbarger and Derrick W. Lefler all have filed for the Division 1 seat.
In Raleigh County (14th Circuit), incumbents Andy Dimlich and Darl Poling have filed. Marie C. Bechtel, Daniel J. Burns, Michael E. Froble and Russell O. “Rusty” Wooton have filed for Division 2, and Todd A. Kirby has filed for Division 1. Incumbents Robert A. Burnside Jr. and H.L. Kirkpatrick II have not yet filed.
In Fayette County (15th Circuit), incumbent Thomas Ewing has filed. Tom Fast has filed for the other seat.
In Nicholas County (16th Circuit), incumbent Stephen O. Callaghan has filed. Michael N. Cox, E. Scott Stanton and Gregory A. Tucker all have filed for the newly created second seat.
In the 17th Circuit that includes Clay, Braxton, Gilmer and Webster counties, Mike Asbury and Jasmine R.H. Morton have filed for the two seats. Incumbents Jack Alsop and Michael W. Asbury have not yet filed.
In the 18th Circuit that includes Lewis and Upshur counties, incumbents Kurt Hall and Jake Reger have filed.
In Harrison County (19th Circuit), Ryan Kennedy and Joe Shaffer have filed for the Division 2 seat. Chris McCarthy has filed for Division 1, and Jenna Robey has filed for Division 3. Incumbents Thomas Bedell and James A. Matish have not yet filed.
In Marion County (20th Circuit), incumbent Patrick Wilson has filed. Matt Delligatti, Craig Erhard and Chuck Shields have filed for the other seat. Incumbent David R. Janes has not yet filed.
In Monongalia County (21st Circuit), incumbents Perri Jo DeChristopher, Paul Gwaltney and Cindy Scott have filed. Michael Simms has filed as a challenger to Gwaltney.
In the 22nd Circuit that will include Preston and Tucker counties, incumbent Steven Shaffer has filed. Hillary M. Bright and Samuel Hess have filed for the other seat.
In the 23rd Circuit that includes Barbour and Taylor counties, incumbents Thomas B. Hoxie and Shawn D. Nines have filed. Allison Clark Iapalucci has filed as a challenger for Hoxie’s seat.
In Randolph County (24th Circuit), incumbent David H. Wilmoth has filed. Frank P. Bush Jr, Ray LaMora III, William “Ty” Nestor and Jaymie Godwin Wilfong have filed for the newly created second seat.
In the 25th Circuit that will include Grant and Mineral counties, incumbents James W. Courier Jr. and Robert E. Ryan have filed. Nic James has filed as a challenger for Ryan’s seat.
In the 26th Circuit that includes Hampshire, Hardy and Pendleton counties, incumbents H. Charles Carl III and C. Carter Williams have filed. John H. Treadway Jr. has filed to challenge Williams.
In the 27th Circuit that will include Berkeley and Morgan counties, incumbents Laura V. Faircloth, Michael D. Lorensen have filed. Catie Wilkes Delligatti, Debra McLaughlin and R. Steven Redding have filed for the other three seats.
In Jefferson County (28th Circuit), incumbents Bridget Cohee and David M. Hammer have filed.
In the 29th Circuit that includes Greenbrier and Pocahontas counties, incumbent Robert E. Richardson has filed. Incumbent Jennifer P. Dent has not yet filed. Ryan Blake has filed as a challenger to Richardson’s seat, and Patrick I. Via have filed for the other seat.
In the 30th Circuit that includes Monroe and Summers counties, Kristin R. Cook, Keith Lively and H. “Rod” Mohler have filed for the lone seat. Incumbent Robert A. Irons has not yet filed.