Published: October 30, 2008 12:20 am      

Workman, Ketchum ideal candidates for West Virginia Supreme Court

As voters in Marion County and West Virginia head to the polls in a few short days, there are a lot of races that are in the forefront of people’s minds, the kind that get a person motivated to head to the polls.

And while it hasn’t been draped in controversy or politically charged, perhaps two of the most important votes cast on Nov. 4 will be for justices for the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals. Under a 12-year term, these new justices will be a voice in the highest court of the state. These justices will participate in the interpretation of the laws of West Virginia and the United States.

With much consideration, the Times West Virginian believes that former Supreme Court justice Margaret Workman and Huntington attorney Menis Ketchum are the ideal candidates for the Supreme Court.

Workman was the first woman to be elected to a statewide office and the first female justice when she was elected to the Supreme Court in 1988. During the 11 years she served, she became a strong advocate for abused and neglected children, as well as victims of domestic violence.

It was her lead in such cases that drew the comment from former Justice Frank Cleckley, “Generations of West Virginia children will benefit by Justice Workman’s work on the court.”

In addition to her crucial experience and record on the court, one of Workman’s strongest attributes is that she is a self-made woman. She is a coal miner’s daughter from Boone County who moved to Charleston in her preadolescent years. She was the first in her family to attend college and worked her way through both college and law school at West Virginia University. She opened her own firm in the late 1970s and was later appointed to the Kanawha Circuit Court in 1981 by then-Gov. Jay Rockefeller. Since stepping down in 1999, Workman has returned to her private practice.

Workman believes in fairness and equal treatment for everyone — from the powerless to the powerful.

Ketchum, also a graduate of law school at WVU, has practiced law in Huntington for nearly 40 years and is now a senior partner at Greene, Ketchum, Walker, Bailey, Ferrell & Tweel. He has litigated various types of cases, including insurance defense, personal injury, criminal prosecution and defense, maritime law and Federal Employers’ Liability Act.

Ketchum describes himself as a litigator — not a politician. And considering his time and experience in the courtroom, we believe that is an honest assessment. He wants to make sure that there is equity within the court — not a court that leans too far to the left or to the right for special interest groups.

“I will not be a ‘plaintiff’s judge’ or a ‘defendant’s judge,’” Ketchum said in his December 2007 announcement of candidacy. “What I will be is a fair and impartial judge.”

Fairness, equity, balance, impartiality — these are all ideal characteristics in a Supreme Court justice and ones we believe are reflected in candidates Ketchum and Workman.