William Stewart Thompson
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William Stewart Thompson was a judge of the Twenty-Fifth Circuit Court in West Virginia. He assumed office on March 6, 2007. He left office on August 18, 2021.
Thompson ran in a special election for judge of the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia. He lost in the special general election on November 6, 2018.
Thompson was appointed to the Twenty-Fifth Circuit Court by former Governor Joe Manchin (D) and sworn-in on March 6, 2007.[1] Thompson ran for re-election in 2016.[2] He won the general election on May 10, 2016.
Thompson left his position on August 18, 2021, after he was nominated to be an U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of West Virginia.[3]
Bildung
Thompson received both his undergraduate degree and his J.D. from West Virginia University.[4]
Career
Thompson served as a mental hygiene commissioner for Boone County from 2002 until his appointment to the court in March 2007.
Elections
2018
General election
Special general election for Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia
The following candidates ran in the special general election for Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia on November 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Evan Jenkins (Nonpartisan) | 36.0 | 182,133 |
 | Dennise Renee Smith (Nonpartisan) | 13.9 | 70,394 | |
 | Jeffrey Kessler (Nonpartisan) | 11.9 | 60,077 | |
 | Jim Douglas (Nonpartisan) | 9.4 | 47,609 | |
 | Robert Frank (Nonpartisan) | 5.9 | 29,751 | |
 | William Stewart Thompson (Nonpartisan) | 5.9 | 29,613 | |
 | Jim O'Brien (Nonpartisan) | 5.7 | 28,766 | |
 | Brenden Long (Nonpartisan) | 4.0 | 20,443 | |
| Marty Sheehan (Nonpartisan) | 3.7 | 18,639 | |
 | William Schwartz (Nonpartisan) | 3.6 | 18,291 | |
| Total votes: 505,716 (100.00% precincts reporting) | |||
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2016
West Virginia held general elections for county judicial offices on May 10, 2016. This date coincided with partisan primaries for statewide and federal offices. The 2016 election was the first nonpartisan election for the state's judicial seats since statehood in 1863. Learn more about this change here. Candidates interested in filing for the election submitted paperwork by January 30, 2016. Incumbent William Stewart Thompson ran unopposed in the general election for the West Virginia Judicial Circuit 25, Division 1 seat.[2]
| West Virginia Judicial Circuit 25, Division 1 General Election, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | ||
 William Stewart Thompson Incumbent | ||
| Source: West Virginia Secretary of State, "Election Results Center," accessed May 10, 2016 | ||
Selection method
- See also: Nonpartisan election of judges
The judges of the West Virginia Circuit Court are elected in nonpartisan elections to serve eight-year terms. Judges must run for re-election when their terms expire.[5]
The chief judge of each circuit court is selected by peer vote. Term lengths vary by circuit.[5]
Qualifications
To serve on a West Virginia Circuit Court, a judge must be:[5]
- a citizen of West Virginia for at least five years;
- a resident of his or her circuit;
- at least 30 years old; and
- practiced in law for at least five years.
See also
- Courts in West Virginia
- West Virginia counties
- Judicial selection in West Virginia
- Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia
- West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals special elections, 2018
External links
- Search Google News for this topic
- Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia
- West Virginia Judiciary: Twenty-Fifth Judicial Circuit Judges and Court Information
- West Virginia Judiciary, "Circuit Courts Overview"
- West Virginia Judiciary, "Court Information by County"
Footnotes
- ↑ West Virginia Courts.gov, "Swearing-In Ceremony for Judge Thompson," March 1, 2007
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 West Virginia Secretary of State, "Candidate Search," accessed February 16, 2016
- ↑ Supreme Court of Appeals State of West Virginia, "Boone/Lincoln Circuit Judge Appointed U.S. Attorney," August 12, 2021
- ↑ Martindale.com, Judge Profile: William Stewart Thompson
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 American Judicature Society, "Methods of Judicial Selection: West Virginia," archived October 3, 2014
Federal courts:
Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: Northern District of West Virginia, Southern District of West Virginia • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: Northern District of West Virginia, Southern District of West Virginia
State courts:
Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia • West Virginia Intermediate Court of Appeals • West Virginia Circuit Courts • West Virginia Family Courts • West Virginia Magistrate Courts
State resources:
Courts in West Virginia • West Virginia judicial elections • Judicial selection in West Virginia
