The United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia (in case citations , S.D. W.Va. ) is a federal court in the Fourth Circuit (except for patent claims and claims against the U.S. government under the Tucker Act , which are appealed to the Federal Circuit ).
The District was established on June 22, 1901.[ 1]
The United States Attorney for the District is Booth Goodwin .
Organization of the court [ edit ]
The United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia is one of two federal judicial districts in West Virginia.[ 2] Court for the Southern District is held at Beckley , Bluefield , Charleston , and Huntington .
Beckley Division comprises the following counties: Greenbrier , Raleigh , Summers , and Wyoming .
Bluefield Division comprises the following counties: Mercer , McDowell , and Monroe .
Charleston Division comprises the following counties: Boone , Clay , Fayette , Jackson , Kanawha , Lincoln , Logan , Mingo , Nicholas , Roane , Wirt , and Wood .
Huntington Division comprises the following counties: Cabell , Mason , Putnam , and Wayne .
Current judges [ edit ]
Former judges [ edit ]
#
Judge
State
Born/Died
Active service
Chief Judge
Senior status
Appointed by
Reason for
termination
1
Keller, Benjamin Franklin Benjamin Franklin Keller
WV
1857–1921
1901–1921
—
—
McKinley, McKinley
death
2
McClintic, George Warwick George Warwick McClintic
WV
1866–1942
1921–1941
—
1941–1942
Harding, Harding
death
3
Watkins, Harry Evans Harry Evans Watkins
WV
1898–1963
1937–1963
—
—
Roosevelt, F. F. Roosevelt
death
4
Moore, Ben Ben Moore
WV
1891–1958
1941–1958
1948–1958
—
Roosevelt, F. F. Roosevelt
death
5
Field Jr., John A. John A. Field Jr.
WV
1910–1995
1959–1971
1959–1971
—
Eisenhower, Eisenhower
reappointment
6
Christie, Sidney Lee Sidney Lee Christie
WV
1903–1974
1964–1974
1971–1973
—
Johnson, L. L. Johnson
death
7
Knapp, Dennis Raymond Dennis Raymond Knapp
WV
1912–1998
1970–1983
1973–1982
1983–1998
Nixon, Nixon
death
8
Hall, Kenneth Keller Kenneth Keller Hall
WV
1918–1999
1971–1976
—
—
Nixon, Nixon
reappointment
9
Haden II, Charles Harold Charles Harold Haden II
WV
1937–2004
1975–2004
1982–2002
—
Ford, Ford
death
11
Staker, Robert Jackson Robert Jackson Staker
WV
1925–2008
1979–1994
—
1994–2005
Carter, Carter
retirement
12
Kidd, William Matthew William Matthew Kidd
WV
1918–1998
1979–1983
—
—
Carter, Carter
reassignment
13
Hallanan, Elizabeth Virginia Elizabeth Virginia Hallanan
WV
1925–2004
1983–1996
—
1996–2004
Reagan, Reagan
death
Succession of seats [ edit ]
Seat 1
Seat established on January 22, 1901, by 31 Stat. 736
Keller
1901–1921
Seat abolished on August 8, 1921 (Temporary judgeship expired)
Seat 2
Seat established on June 25, 1921, by 42 Stat. 67 (temporary)
Seat became permanent upon the abolishment of Seat 1 on August 8, 1921
McClintic
1921–1941
Moore
1941–1958
Field, Jr.
1959–1971
Hall
1971–1976
Copenhaver, Jr.
1976–present
Seat 3
Seat established on June 22, 1936, by 49 Stat. 1805 (temporary, concurrent with Northern District)
Seat made permanent on February 10, 1954 by 68 Stat. 8
Watkins
1937–1963
Christie
1964–1974
Haden II
1975–2004
Seat assigned solely to Southern District on January 14, 1983, by 96 Stat. 2601
Johnston
2006–present
Seat 4
Seat established on June 2, 1970, by 84 Stat. 294
Knapp
1970–1983
Hallanan
1983–1996
Chambers
1997–present
Seat 5
Seat established on October 20, 1978, by 92 Stat. 1629
Staker
1979–1994
Goodwin
1995–present
Seat 6
Seat established on October 20, 1978, by 92 Stat. 1629 (temporary)
Kidd
1979–1983
Seat made permanent and reassigned to Northern District on January 14, 1983, by 96 Stat. 2601
Seat 7
Seat established on December 1, 1990, by 104 Stat. 5089
Faber
1991–2008
Berger
2009–present
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