TIME TO REVIEW THE WV SUPREME COURT CANDIDATES.

     In this upcoming election, the citizens of West Virginia will be able to vote for two of the 20 candidates for the West Virginia Supreme Court. There are two divisions, Division one and Division two. The difference between the divisions is which former WV Supreme Court Justice the candidates are seeking to replace. The candidates aren't permitted to say what they think about a great many subjects, so deciding which to vote for is even more difficult. I'm going to do a little google/facebook search on each candidate, to try and give some idea who you might want to vote for. Otherwise, you might have nothing to go on. Here are the subjects I'm interested in: profession, experience, and political party. On the ballot, the candidates will all be listed as non partisan.

http://services.sos.wv.gov/apps/elections/candidate-search/


Tim Armistead, Division 1: He is a Republican, and last legislative session, was the speaker of the house in the House of Delegates. Has been temporarily appointed to the Supreme Court temporarily by Governor Justice.

https://www.wvgazettemail.com/news/politics/nine-apply-for-interim-seat-on-wv-supreme-court/article_42788831-f61b-5751-b2ea-ee100fb10a3a.html

Harry Bruner Jr Division 1.: Profession: Lawyer. Watch his interview with WCHSTV.com on the link below. If elected, he says he will reduce his Supreme Court Justice salary from 136,000 to 36,000 dollars a year. He has a plan to reduce spending and increase transparency in the Supreme Court. Read all about it in the Herald link below.

http://www.herald-dispatch.com/opinion/harry-c-bo-bruner-jr-trust-in-the-state-supreme/article_da80a6a2-e7cd-5e3f-b47a-fb3d0cd1fab7.html
https://wchstv.com/news/kyc/wv-supreme-court-division-1/harry-bruner-division-1-west-virginia-supreme-court-candidate
https://www.wvgazettemail.com/election_2018/two-more-including-ex-state-senate-leader-file-for-wv/article_506dd540-24a3-58ac-add2-7fdefc1afc96.html

Robert Carlton Division 1: Profession: Lawyer. I couldn't find much else.

https://www.wvgazettemail.com/election_2018/two-more-including-ex-state-senate-leader-file-for-wv/article_506dd540-24a3-58ac-add2-7fdefc1afc96.html

Jim Douglas Division 2: Profession: Current Family Court Judge in Kanawha County. The Family court is one level down in the courts from the Circuit courts, and two levels down from the Supreme Court. Watch his interview on WCHSTV.com on the link below. Judge Douglas has some ideas that I find interesting. He became a Judge on the Kanawha County Family court on January 1, 2017. He is on the Democratic executive committee of Braxton County. See the "Williamson daily news" link below for more.

http://www.williamsondailynews.com/candidates/w-va-supreme-court-division-jim-douglas/article_ed43279a-271e-5c47-9ef7-a3016902b955.html
http://www.courtswv.gov/public-resources/press/familycourtJudgesMasterList2017.html#jimDouglas
https://wchstv.com/news/kyc/wv-supreme-court-division-2/jim-douglas-division-2-west-virginia-supreme-court-candidate
https://www.wvgazettemail.com/election_2018/two-more-including-ex-state-senate-leader-file-for-wv/article_506dd540-24a3-58ac-add2-7fdefc1afc96.html

Robert Frank Division 2: Profession: Lawyer, with what looks to be his own law firm (unless there are two lawyers in Lewisburg with the name "Robert Frank), which you can look up on Facebook. He also has a candidate page on Facebook.

https://www.wvgazettemail.com/election_2018/two-more-including-ex-state-senate-leader-file-for-wv/article_506dd540-24a3-58ac-add2-7fdefc1afc96.html

Ronald Hatfield, Jr. Division 1: Profession: Lawyer. I was unable to find anything else doing a facebook search and a google search.

https://www.wvgazettemail.com/election_2018/two-more-including-ex-state-senate-leader-file-for-wv/article_506dd540-24a3-58ac-add2-7fdefc1afc96.html

Mark Hunt Division 1: Democrat, Lawyer. Former Delegate in the WV House of Delegates. Ran for US Congress in 2016. Ran for WV State Senate in the 2018 Democratic primary. He founded his own Law firm. He also has been a legislative analyst for the Legislative services and counsel to the state auditor. His website says he has a reputation for being "tough on crime". See the Herald-Dispatch article link below for more. You can also check out his website for more: https://sy449-c321a1.pages.infusionsoft.net/

http://www.herald-dispatch.com/elections/wv_candidates/w-va-supreme-court-division-mark-hunt/article_80241376-bd16-11e8-98a8-1702dd88cbcf.html
https://www.wvgazettemail.com/election_2018/two-more-including-ex-state-senate-leader-file-for-wv/article_506dd540-24a3-58ac-add2-7fdefc1afc96.html

Evan Jenkins Division 2: Republican and until recently was the Congressman from West Virginia's third congressional district. Has been temporarily appointed to the Supreme Court temporarily by Governor Justice.

https://www.wvgazettemail.com/news/politics/nine-apply-for-interim-seat-on-wv-supreme-court/article_42788831-f61b-5751-b2ea-ee100fb10a3a.html

Jeffrey Kessler Division 2: Democrat, former WV State Senate President and one time candidate for Governor. Profession: Lawyer. Founding partner at "Berry, Kessler, Crutchfield, Taylor & Gordon LLC in Moundsville" He has served as a city attorney, Municipal Judge, and assistant prosecutor. See the Herald dispatch link below for more. He has been endorsed by the UMWA. See his website for more: https://www.jeffkesslerwv.com/
http://www.herald-dispatch.com/elections/wv_candidates/w-va-supreme-court-division-jeffrey-jeff-kessler/article_b56a3ed4-bd16-11e8-8e1a-0774a1a13ee1.html
https://www.wvgazettemail.com/election_2018/two-more-including-ex-state-senate-leader-file-for-wv/article_506dd540-24a3-58ac-add2-7fdefc1afc96.html

Hiram Lewis IV Division 1: Former Republican candidate for Attorney General. Profession: Lawyer. He has a facebook page, but I think its just a personal page.

https://www.wvgazettemail.com/election_2018/two-more-including-ex-state-senate-leader-file-for-wv/article_506dd540-24a3-58ac-add2-7fdefc1afc96.html

Brendan Long Division 2: Profession: Lawyer. You can watch his interview with WCHS TV by clicking on the link below.
https://wchstv.com/news/kyc/wv-supreme-court-division-2/brandon-long-division-2-west-virginia-supreme-court-candidate
https://www.wvgazettemail.com/election_2018/two-more-including-ex-state-senate-leader-file-for-wv/article_506dd540-24a3-58ac-add2-7fdefc1afc96.html
https://brendenlongcampaign.wixsite.com/campaign

Jim O'Brien Division 2: Profession: Lawyer. He has been a federal law clerk and assistant U.S. attorney for WV. You can check out his facebook page for more.

https://www.wvgazettemail.com/election_2018/two-more-including-ex-state-senate-leader-file-for-wv/article_506dd540-24a3-58ac-add2-7fdefc1afc96.html

D.C. Offutt, jr. Division 1: Profession: Lawyer. Unfortunately, my facebook and google search came up with nothing.

https://www.wvgazettemail.com/election_2018/two-more-including-ex-state-senate-leader-file-for-wv/article_506dd540-24a3-58ac-add2-7fdefc1afc96.html

William Schwartz Division 2: Profession: Lawyer. See the links below for more.

https://wvrecord.com/stories/511446471-charleston-attorney-schwartz-explores-run-for-state-supreme-court-seat
https://www.wvgazettemail.com/election_2018/two-more-including-ex-state-senate-leader-file-for-wv/article_506dd540-24a3-58ac-add2-7fdefc1afc96.html

Marty Sheehan Division 2: Profession: Lawyer. Likes to wear red shoes to court according the intelligencer article below.

http://www.theintelligencer.net/news/top-headlines/2018/09/redshoes-name-causes-west-virginia-supreme-court-ballot-issue-for-martin-sheehan/
https://www.wvgazettemail.com/election_2018/two-more-including-ex-state-senate-leader-file-for-wv/article_506dd540-24a3-58ac-add2-7fdefc1afc96.html

Dennise Renee Smith Division 2: Profession: Lawyer. She has also served as "staff attorney" for the State Legislature. See her interview with WCHS TV on the link below. Go to her website https://www.smithforthesupremecourt.com/ for more.

https://wchstv.com/news/kyc/wv-supreme-court-division-2/dennise-smith-division-2-west-virginia-supreme-court-candidate
https://www.wvgazettemail.com/election_2018/two-more-including-ex-state-senate-leader-file-for-wv/article_506dd540-24a3-58ac-add2-7fdefc1afc96.html

Joanna Tabit Division 1: Profession: Current Circuit Judge of Kanawha County. You can watch her interview with WCHSTV.com on the link below. She was a personal law clerk for the WV Supreme Court Justice Thomas McHugh. She has worked for the state attorney generals office. For more, go to her website https://judgejoannaforwv.com/ So far, her website and interviews have been impressive. Judge Tabit, as of the 2014 Charleston Gazette article, is a Democrat.

https://www.wvgazettemail.com/news/joanna-tabit-named-new-kanawha-county-circuit-judge/article_c74fda10-89b8-59cc-b068-52e72ad62498.html
http://www.herald-dispatch.com/elections/wv_candidates/w-va-supreme-court-division-joanna-i-tabit/article_7dc0c7c2-bd17-11e8-be9b-834333e7e8d8.html
https://wchstv.com/news/kyc/wv-supreme-court-division-1/joanna-tabit-division-1-west-virginia-supreme-court-candidate
http://www.courtswv.gov/public-resources/press/circuitJudgesMasterList2017.html#joannaTabit
https://www.wvgazettemail.com/election_2018/two-more-including-ex-state-senate-leader-file-for-wv/article_506dd540-24a3-58ac-add2-7fdefc1afc96.html

William Stewart Thompson Division 2: Profession: Current Circuit Judge of Boone County. You can watch an interview with him on the WCHSTV.com Link below. Judge Thompson seems to be passionate about West Virginia's opioid crisis, and helping people recover from their addictions. See his website https://www.judgewillthompson.com/ Watch the video about his drug court. Its a bit inspiring. His drug court is so successful, that he received congratulations from the President. He has been endorsed by the Teamsters.

https://wchstv.com/news/beyond-the-podium/william-thompson-division-2-west-virginia-supreme-court-candidate
http://www.herald-dispatch.com/elections/wv_candidates/w-va-supreme-court-division-judge-will-thompson/article_9743f25a-bd17-11e8-a801-2771fd08c261.html
https://www.wvgazettemail.com/election_2018/two-more-including-ex-state-senate-leader-file-for-wv/article_506dd540-24a3-58ac-add2-7fdefc1afc96.html

Chris Wilkes Division 1: Profession: Current Circuit Judge of Berkeley County. You can watch his interview on WCHSTV.com link below. Here is Judge Wilkes website: https://wilkesforsupremecourt.com/home.asp?s=about#about He does have an impressive resume. Judge Wilkes is a Republican according to the Charleston Gazette article below.

https://www.wvgazettemail.com/news/beane-wilkes-explore-state-supreme-court-bids/article_ee7447c5-3e98-5af3-b521-61100da8a710.html
https://wchstv.com/news/kyc/wv-supreme-court-division-1/chris-wilkes-division-1-west-virginia-supreme-court-candidate
http://www.herald-dispatch.com/elections/wv_candidates/w-va-supreme-court-division-chris-wilkes/article_af5966ae-bd17-11e8-a552-a37259100ae5.html
https://www.wvgazettemail.com/election_2018/two-more-including-ex-state-senate-leader-file-for-wv/article_506dd540-24a3-58ac-add2-7fdefc1afc96.html

Jeff Woods Division 1: Profession: Lawyer. U.S. Army JAG lawyer. Municipal court judge in Nitro, WV.

http://www.herald-dispatch.com/elections/wv_candidates/w-va-supreme-court-division-jeff-c-woods/article_c5f9c50c-bd17-11e8-b006-f70f45ecac5e.html
https://www.wvgazettemail.com/election_2018/two-more-including-ex-state-senate-leader-file-for-wv/article_506dd540-24a3-58ac-add2-7fdefc1afc96.html

My opinion:

     There are many good candidates here. Jeffrey Kessler, Jim Douglas and Jeff Woods I feel would make good additions to the Supreme Court. However, in my opinion they are not the best options. The Supreme Court shouldn't have a "on the job training" option. The best candidates come from the Circuit courts, which is the level of the state judicial system below the Supreme Court. There are three Circuit Court judges running for Supreme Court. William Stewart Thompson in Division 2. Joanna Tabit and Chris Wilkes in division 1.

     William Thompson's passion in tackling the opioid crisis is inspiring, and I will gladly vote for him in the upcoming election. Between Joanna Tabit and Chris Wilkes, each has there own advantages and disadvantages. Judge Wilkes has been a Circuit Court judge longer, but Judge Tabit has actually worked at the State Supreme Court before. I feel that the experience working at the Supreme Court and being a Circuit Court Judge is more important. My vote will go to Judge Tabit.