West Virginia

Former justice on West Virginia’s top court pleads guilty to wire fraud

A former justice on West Virginia’s Supreme Court of Appeals has pleaded guilty to a single felony count of wire fraud for personal use of a state vehicle.

Menis Ketchum, 75, pleaded guilty Thursday in a probe sparked by an outcry over $3 million in spending on renovations of Supreme Court justices’ offices, report Courthouse News Service, the Parkersburg News and Sentinel, the Associated Press and a press release.

Aug 24, 2018 9:07 AM CDT

West Virginia justice resigns after House votes to impeach entire state supreme court

Justice Robin Davis of the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals has resigned after the state’s House of Delegates voted Monday to impeach her and three other justices remaining on the court.

Aug 15, 2018 7:50 AM CDT

West Virginia House votes to impeach all 4 justices remaining on state supreme court

The West Virginia House of Delegates on Monday voted to impeach the four remaining justices on the state’s top court, including one who was suspended following his federal indictment in June.

Aug 14, 2018 8:15 AM CDT

Amid ‘atmosphere of entitlement,’ 4 remaining justices on top W.Va. court targeted for impeachment

Four justices remaining on West Virginia’s Supreme Court of Appeals are accused of “unnecessary and lavish” spending in 14 draft articles of impeachment approved Tuesday by the state’s House Judiciary Committee. The full House of Delegates could vote on the impeachment articles by next week, report the Charleston Gazette-Mail, West…

Aug 8, 2018 10:11 AM CDT

West Virginia’s top court loses 2 justices to indictment, abrupt retirement

The West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals will have only three justices available to hear cases after one was suspended following an indictment and another announced his retirement in a two-sentence letter on Wednesday. Justice Menis Ketchum, 75, said his retirement would be effective July 27, report the Charleston Gazette-Mail,…

Jul 13, 2018 12:00 PM CDT

State supreme court justice accused of fraud, lying to federal agents in 22-count indictment

West Virginia Supreme Court Justice Allen Loughry was arrested Wednesday after he was indicted on federal charges that stem from his alleged personal use of government property, including a historically significant desk.

Jun 21, 2018 4:25 PM CDT

Trump nominates 9 to federal court vacancies

Updated: Nine more nominees for federal judgeships were announced Tuesday by the White House. The newest wave of nominees are: • Mark Bennett, former attorney general of Hawaii, to the San Francisco-based 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. • Andrew Oldham, general counsel for Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, to the…

Feb 13, 2018 4:00 PM CST

Justice Department creates in-house team to monitor accuracy of forensic testimony in criminal cases

The Justice Department has created an internal team led by a former state prosecutor to monitor the accuracy of forensic testimony in criminal cases over an outside advisory group of experts and stakeholders, which the Wall Street Journal (sub. req.) described as a victory “over academics and defense attorneys” The…

Aug 9, 2017 12:21 PM CDT

Federal judge rejects plea deal in drug case, says trial can reveal ‘dark details’ of opioid crisis

A federal judge in West Virginia has refused to accept a plea deal in a drug case in hopes a trial will reveal “the dark details of drug distribution and abuse to the community in a way that a plea bargained guilty plea cannot.” In a June 26 opinion (PDF),…

Jul 6, 2017 10:23 AM CDT

Lawyer accused of overbilling state is on the lam, but follows prosecutor on Twitter

A West Virginia lawyer accused of billing the state for work never performed didn’t show up for his arraignment last summer, but he is following an assistant prosecutor on Twitter. The lawyer, William Lester, is accused of fraudulent schemes and computer fraud, the Charleston Gazette-Mail reports. Over a two-year period,…

May 15, 2017 11:51 AM CDT

Lawyer accused of billing over 24 hours in a day suspended; but official said others were worse

West Virginia’s top court imposed a two-year suspension on a lawyer who submitted bills for court-appointed work for more than 24 hours a day on two different occasions. The sanction imposed on Michael Cooke by the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals was higher than the 18 months recommended by…

Apr 26, 2017 8:00 AM CDT

Judge is suspended for campaign ad that was ‘in every sense, materially false’

A West Virginia judge has been suspended for two years and fined $15,000 for a campaign flier purporting to show his election opponent partying with President Barack Obama. The Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia imposed the unpaid suspension against Judge Stephen Callaghan of Nicholas County in a Feb.…

Feb 13, 2017 8:30 AM CST

Lawyer’s ‘free legal tips’ for clueless defendants are based on experience

West Virginia lawyer L. Scott Briscoe says he’s learned a few things during his 19 years of law practice. And he’s sharing those lessons on Facebook with a series of more than 50 “free legal tips.” The Huffington Post notes Briscoe’s tips. They include: • “Drinking ice water just before…

Oct 3, 2016 7:00 AM CDT

West Virginia law school will offer tuition break for nonresidents—under one condition

After an enrollment decrease, the West Virginia University College of Law is extending its in-state annual tuition of $16,000 to some nonresidents, beginning next fall. To qualify for this “Loyalty Tuition Program,” the nonresident students must have graduated from a West Virginia college or university, according to a law school…

Sep 20, 2016 12:15 PM CDT

Lawyer who fired gun in police standoff wants to switch to criminal law

A one-time government lawyer who defeated charges related to a police standoff wants to switch to criminal defense work. Mark Bramble, accused of firing nearly 50 rounds from his Charleston, West Virginia, home in August 2013, regained his law license earlier this year, the Charleston Gazette-Mail reports. He will have…

May 9, 2016 8:46 AM CDT