Two Ohio Valley Attorneys Apply for West Virginia Supreme Court Vacancy
WHEELING, W.Va. – Two attorneys from Ohio County are among twelve applicants vying to fill the vacancy on the West virginia Supreme Court of Appeals following the August death of Justice Tim Armstead. Elgine McArdle and Martin Sheehan have both submitted applications for the position, which will ultimately be filled by an appointment from Governor Patrick Morrisey.
The appointment is significant as the selected individual will serve until the next general election, and potentially thru 2032 – the remainder of Armstead’s term. This presents a substantial prospect to influence the state’s highest court for years to come.
According to West Virginia Code, the Judicial Vacancy Advisory Commission will review the applications and forward a list of between two and five finalists to Governor morrisey within 90 days. The Governor then has 30 days to make a final appointment from that list.
McArdle and Sheehan both have established legal careers in the region. McArdle previously ran for a seat on the West Virginia Intermediate Court of Appeals in 2024 and has held leadership positions within both the Ohio County and West Virginia Republican Party. Sheehan was a candidate for the Supreme Court in 2018.
The other applicants include: Berkeley, Jefferson and Morgan County Circuit Judge Laura Faircloth; Attorney General’s Office lawyer David Gilbert; West Virginia Intermediate Court of Appeals Judge Dan Greear; West Virginia Supreme Court staff attorney Eric Hudnall; West Virginia Secretary of Veterans Assistance and former Clarksburg Mayor E. Ryan Kennedy; Teays Valley personal injury attorney Brenden Long; Berkeley and Morgan County Circuit judge R. Steven Redding; Former circuit judge and current Hardy County Prosecutor Robert Ryan; Commercial trucking law attorney Gerald Titus III; and former West Virginia Senate counsel and current deputy solicitor general for the Department of Justice in the state of nebraska Zachary Viglianco.