Manchin Orders Review Of State Judicial System

Source: http://www.wvmetronews.com
April 4, 2009

Governor Joe Manchin has signed an executive order creating a nine-member panel to "evaluate and recommend reforms" to the state's judicial system, which has largely been the same for the past 25 years.

The governor said in Friday's five-page order "the estabalishment of an independent commission composed of former jurists, attorneys, academics and other professionals to examine the State's court system may result , as it did in 1974, in the adoption of systemic reforms that will modernize and improve West Virginia's judiciary."

Manchin says such a task cannot be accomplished unless all three branches of government cooperate. He has ordered the Independent Commission on Judicial Reform to have its work forwarded to him by Nov. 15, 2009. The members of the panel will be appointed by the governor.

The governor's order says the reforms studied should include "adopting a merit-based system of judicial selection, enacting judicial campaign finance reforms or reporting requirements, creating an intermediate court of appeals, proposing constitutional amendments or establishing a court of chancery."

Manchin says members of the commission will not be paid.