The United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia (in case citations, S.D. W. Va.) is a federal court in the Fourth Circuit (except for patent claims and claims against the U.S. government under the Tucker Act, which are appealed to the Federal Circuit).
The District was established on June 22, 1901.
The United States Attorney for the District is Michael B. Stuart.
Organization of the court
United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia - The United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia is a federal court in the Fourth Circuit .The District was established on June 22, 1901.
The United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia is one of two federal judicial districts in West Virginia. Court for the Southern District is held at Beckley, Bluefield, Charleston, and Huntington.
Beckley Division comprises the following counties: Greenbrier, Raleigh, Summers, and Wyoming.
Bluefield Division comprises the following counties: Mercer, McDowell, and Monroe.
Charleston Division comprises the following counties: Boone, Clay, Fayette, Jackson, Kanawha, Lincoln, Logan, Mingo, Nicholas, Roane, Wirt, and Wood.
Huntington Division comprises the following counties: Cabell, Mason, Putnam, and Wayne.
Current judges
Former judges
Chief judges
Chief judges have administrative responsibilities with respect to their district court. Unlike the Supreme Court, where one justice is specifically nominated to be chief, the office of chief judge rotates among the district court judges. To be chief, a judge must have been in active service on the court for at least one year, be under the age of 65, and have not previously served as chief judge. A vacancy is filled by the judge highest in seniority among the group of qualified judges. The chief judge serves for a term of seven years or until age 70, whichever occurs first. The age restrictions are waived if no members of the court would otherwise be qualified for the position.
When the office was created in 1948, the chief judge was the longest-serving judge who had not elected to retire on what has since 1958 been known as senior status or declined to serve as chief judge. After August 6, 1959, judges could not become or remain chief after turning 70 years old. The current rules have been in operation since October 1, 1982.
Succession of seats
See also
- Courts of West Virginia
- List of United States federal courthouses in West Virginia
Notes
External links
- U.S. District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia
- The United States Attorney's Office Southern District of West Virginia