CHARLESTON — The process to appoint West Virginia’s next Supreme Court justice is moving forward, with interviews set to begin soon for 15 applicants hoping to succeed Justice Beth Walker, who retired from the bench on June 27.
Under state law, when a vacancy arises on the Supreme Court of Appeals before the end of a term, the Judicial Vacancy Advisory Commission has 90 days to interview applicants and submit a list of two to five finalists to the governor. Gov. Patrick Morrisey will then have 30 days to select a replacement.
The appointed justice will serve until the next general election, where voters will decide who should complete the remainder of the term. Walker’s seat was set to run through Dec. 31, 2028.
The list of applicants, first reported by The West Virginia Record, features a broad mix of legal experience — from sitting judges and seasoned attorneys to academics and former political candidates:
- Angela Alexander, assistant attorney general and former family court judge
- Ryan Kennedy, Secretary of Veterans Assistance and former Clarksburg mayor
- Todd Kirby, Raleigh County circuit judge and former state delegate
- Dan Greear, judge on the Intermediate Court of Appeals and former House chief counsel
- Harry Kirkpatrick III, retired Raleigh County circuit judge
- Matthew Chapman, attorney at Rawle & Henderson in Wheeling and husband of state Sen. Laura Wakim Chapman
- Brenden Long, attorney in Scott Depot and 2018 Supreme Court candidate
- Cody Corliss, law professor at West Virginia University
- Shawn Morgan, Steptoe & Johnson managing member and former federal prosecutor
- Thomas Ewing, Fayette County circuit judge
- Steven Redding, circuit judge for Berkeley and Morgan counties
- Laura Faircloth, circuit judge for Berkeley, Jefferson, and Morgan counties
- Mark Sadd, managing member at Lewis Gianola PLLC in Charleston
- Steven Thomas, attorney at Kay Casto and Chaney in Charleston
- Zachary Viglianco, Nebraska deputy solicitor general and former counsel to the West Virginia Senate
The vacancy has already drawn attention from court watchers and political observers. Stephen Broadwater Jr., President of the WV Association for Justice, emphasized the significance of the appointment during a recent interview on Legal Newsline.
“Protecting our rights and liberties and following the rule of law are fundamental to who we are as West Virginians,” Broadwater said. “West Virginia needs a conservative justice who stands up for the people of this state and enforces every one of our rights enshrined in the Constitution. We must ensure that our courtrooms remain the one place where any citizen is equal to woke, globalist corporations with unlimited resources.”
Justice Walker was elected in 2016 and known for her work on judicial accountability and administrative efficiency. Her early departure sets in motion a competitive and closely watched selection process to shape the future of the state’s highest court. The commission has not yet announced interview dates.
