CHARLESTON — New state Supreme Court Justice Tim Armstead said he couldn’t help but think of his late parents when he was taking the oath of office Tuesday afternoon in the Court’s chamber.
Armstead, the former speaker of the House of Delegates, was remembering the day back in 1990 when he was sworn-in to practice law in West Virginia in that same chamber.
Tim Armstead“I still think about them and they’re no longer with us now but I’m very thankful to have had good parents who really taught me right and wrong,” Armstead said. “They really encouraged me to do everything I could to be fair and honest.”
Armstead was appointed by Gov. Jim Justice back on Aug. 25 to the seat previously held by Menis Ketchum after Ketchum resigned and then short time later pleaded guilty to a federal fraud charge. Armstead couldn’t take the bench until the Supreme Court considered a challenge filed in connection with his appointment. A fill-in Court decided Monday the challenge had no merit.
After his swearing in, Armstead spent the majority of his comments talking about he controversy that has involved the Court for most of the past year. A controversy centered on Court spending. It’s lead to the suspension of Justice Allen Loughry, who faces a federal criminal trial next week, and the impeachments of current Chief Justice Margaret Workman and Justice Beth Walker. Both will fight their possible removals from office in impeachment trials scheduled to start next month in the state Senate.
Restoring the integrity of the Court will come one day at a time, according to Armstead.
“It’s our job to rebuild it and every single day that the judges throughout our state, not only the justices but the judges, do their job and do it fairly and do it competently they help to rebuild that court system,” Armstead said.
How long Armstead will be a member of the Court remains in question. He’s one of 10 candidates for the Ketchum seat in the Nov. 6 General Election. Another set of 10 candidates are vying for the seat vacated when former Justice Robin Davis resigned on the day she was impeached by the House of Delegates.
The Ketchum seat will carry a two-year term in the election. The Davis seat still has six years left on the term.
Justice also appointed Third District Congressman Evan Jenkins to the Court for its fall term. He will be officially sworn-in next Monday, the same day Justice Walker is scheduled to face the Senate in her impeachment trial.
Armstead was sworn-in Tuesday by Kanawha County Circuit Judge Dan Greear, his former chief of staff in the House of Delegates.
