MORGANTOWN — James Timothy Pocius has been named to fill Monongalia County Magistrate Court’s vacant seat.
He was appointed by Chief Circuit Court Judge Susan Tucker in an order on Thursday. The appointment was effective Friday.
Pocius will be taking the spot of Senior Status Magistrate Darris Summers, who retired on Thursday after serving as a magistrate since 2005. Summers was named a senior status magistrate and can hear cases in all 55 counties as needed.
The appointment is effective until the next general election in 2020. Pocius will need to run for and win his seat in that election.
State law requires a 20 day period for people to oppose the appointment. Any suit or action taken to challenge the qualifications or eligibility of the appointee after that period is not recognized by the courts.
Appointing magistrates is the duty of the chief circuit judge in each county.
Tucker said she was looking for someone with common sense, a good work ethic and a good sense of right and wrong.
