CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WVDN) – The Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia announced the appointment of an eight-member advisory committee to propose recommended rule changes to update the West Virginia Code of Judicial Conduct.
“In order to promote and maintain the public’s trust in a fair, transparent, independent and impartial judiciary, it is important that we hold judges and judicial officers to the highest ethical standards possible,” Chief Justice Tim Armstead said.
“It has been some time since the Court conducted a comprehensive review of the Code, and it is a good practice to proactively review it in order to ensure the integrity and effectiveness of the judiciary,” Chief Justice Armstead said. “This advisory panel will work over the next year to identify best practices, taking into consideration national trends, and bring those recommendations to the public and the Court for consideration.”
The Code of Judicial Conduct in West Virginia establishes standards for the ethical conduct of judges and judicial candidates. It was adopted by a Supreme Court order entered Oct. 21, 1992, and became effective Jan. 1, 1993. It was revised by the Court on Nov. 12, 2015, after two separate periods of public comment.
The advisory committee has been tasked with conducting fact-finding and potential public meetings to identify and recommend proposed changes.
The eight members of the committee are:
- Professor Forrest “Jack” Bowman (Committee Chairman)
- Senior Status Judge Alan D. Moats
- Circuit Judge Anita Harold Ashley
- Family Court Judge Heather A. Wood
- Magistrate Judge Riley H. Barb
- Delegate Brandon Steele, R-Raleigh
- State Senator-elect Joey Garcia, D-Marion
- David Sachar, Director for the Center for Judicial Ethics at the National Center for State Courts (Advisory Member)
The committee may also use staff resources from the Supreme Court’s Administrative Office and Office of the Clerk, along with the Judicial Investigation Commission and Office of Disciplinary Counsel, to provide any input or technical support as it conducts its work.
In addition to the Code of Judicial Conduct, the advisory committee may also propose changes to the Rules of Judicial Disciplinary Procedure if necessary.
The Court has asked the advisory committee to submit its proposed recommendations by Dec. 31, 2025.
