BY MIKE NOLTING
Monongalia County Circuit Court Judge Susan Tucker has submitted her resignation to Gov. Jim Justice effective April 28 at midnight.
Tucker was elected to Division One of the Seventeenth Judicial Circuit in 2008 and re-elected in 2016, making her the most senior circuit court judge in the county.
This is the second retirement of a circuit court judge in Monongalia County in recent months. Judge Phillip Gaujot retired and was replaced by then-Monongalia County prosecutor Perri Jo DeChristopher, who was appointed by Gov. Justice.
Monongalia County Public Defender Justin Hershberger said Tucker is a valuable, compassionate asset in the community.
“Judge Tucker will definitely be missed. She was very kind to me and our office throughout our opening process, and it was a pleasure to be in front of her for the limited time I was there,” Hershberger said.
Hershberger said there had been unconfirmed reports that Judge Tucker had planned to step down in recent weeks, but the news still took them by surprise so closely after the resignation of Gaujot.
“I’m a little surprised that they happened so quickly,” Hershberger said. “They’re not completely unexpected, but it is a bit of a surprise that they happened so quickly back-to-back.”
Tucker will step down with about another year left in her term. Hershberger said her decision to step down was likely under consideration for quite some time.
“When are they eligible to collect the judicial retirement, and there are a number of other considerations,” Hershberger said. “Things going on in their personal life, and when it’s time to wind things down and take a step back.”
In Monongalia County, there is now a new prosecutor, Gabrielle Mucciola, a new circuit court judge in DeChristopher, a new Public Defender Corporation and soon a new addition to the bench.
“It’s a feeling-out period, I think, for all of us,” Hershberger said. “Between new judges, a new prosecutor, and a new public defender’s office, it’s definitely a transition period.”
Tucker was key in the development of the first West Virginia victim/witness assistance program. She also was instrumental in developing the Monongalia County Bar Association’s Committee for Civility and Professionalism, which is dedicated to promoting reforms in attorney conduct both among members of the Bar and between attorneys and the public.
