2008 Supreme Court
This year’s election for state Supreme Court is arguably the most important choice facing West Virginia voters. That is because West Virginians will select two Justices to serve twelve-year terms on the Court.
The election will have a clear effect on our state’s legal climate for more than a decade. The following candidates are currently running for Supreme Court:
• Chief Justice Elliott “Spike” Maynard: Chief Justice Maynard has served on the Court for the last twelve years. Maynard has voted time and again to uphold recent legal reforms passed by the Legislature. Chief Justice Maynard has also been a vocal critic of lawsuit abuse.
• Margaret Workman: Previously elected to the state Supreme Court, Margaret Workman has spent the last several years filing wrongful death, auto accident, personal injury and insurance lawsuits. West Virginia Citizens Against Lawsuit Abuse previously filed an ethics complaint against Workman, who was advertising for clients while wearing a judge’s robe. The West Virginia State Bar recommended that the advertisements stop.
• Menis Ketchum: For nearly 40 years, Menis Ketchum has worked as a personal injury lawyer in the Huntington area. His law firm uses television advertisements encouraging people to file lawsuits. A lawyer in Ketchum’s firm was also recently involved in a lawsuit that challenged the constitutionality of recently passed medical liability reforms.
• Beth Walker: Beth Walker has practiced labor & employment law for the Charleston law firm of Bowles, Rice, McDavid, Graff & Love for seventeen years. She has been listed as one of the best lawyers in America.
