HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (WVDN) – David D. Amsbary will be sworn in as Cabell County’s newest circuit judge in a public investiture ceremony at 3 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 15, in Courtroom One in the Cabell County Courthouse in Huntington.
Gov. Patrick Morrisey appointed Judge Amsbary to the Sixth Judicial Circuit (Cabell County) on Dec. 5, 2025, to fill the vacancy left by the retirement of Judge Paul T. Farrell. Judge Amsbary was officially sworn into office on Dec. 31, 2025, by Circuit Court Judge Chad Lovejoy in order to begin work on Jan. 1, 2026.
At the time of his appointment, Judge Amsbary was a member of Spilman Thomas & Battle, PLLC, in Huntington and president of the West Virginia State Bar Board of Governors. Previously, he was a member and associate attorney of Bailes, Craig, & Sellards (2005-2023) and a law clerk to former Cabell County Judge John L. Cummings (2004). He began his law practice as an attorney representing at-risk youth with Advocates of Children’s Services, Legal Aid of North Carolina (2001-2004).
Judge Amsbary is a native of Huntington. He is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts, Amherst (1995) and the Ohio State University, Moritz College of Law (2001).
Judge Amsbary has served as a member of the Board of Trustees of the Cabell County Public Library (2016-2025) and served as president in 2021. He has also served as a board member of Goodwill Industries of KYOWVA Area, Inc. (2024-present), Southwestern Community Action Council (2021- present), Western Regional CASA (2005-2010) and as a member of the Huntington Chamber of Commerce (2020-2025). In addition to coaching youth sports for the YMCA of Huntington, Huntington Little League, and Southeastern Babe Ruth, he was the president of Huntington Little League (2018-2021) and General Manager of Highlander Baseball Club Middle School Program (2020-2025). Judge Amsbary also served as an adult leader of the Boy Scouts of America (2016-2022).
Judge Amsbary has three children with his late wife, Rachel.
