Wellsburg Herald Star - Brooke Scene: Judicial candidate visits Wellsburg

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Wellsburg Herald Star - Brooke Scene: Judicial Candidate Visits Wellsburg

By WARREN SCOT

A candidate for the state Supreme Court said she's concerned the public has lost confidence in the state's court system and if elected, she'll work to rectify that.

Beth Walker, a Republican running for one of two seats on the court that are up in November's general election, said, "West Virginia's court system has a poor reputation that may or may not be deserved."

But she said one problem in many courts is that judges too often try to "legislate from the bench."

"In my view, we ought to take the politics out of it so cases are decided just on the law and not on the parties involved," said Walker, who added, "The court is supposed to interpret the laws and not second-guess them." Walker acknowledged the state Supreme Court has come under scrutiny in recent months with the public disclosure of photos that Chief Justice Elliott "Spike" Maynard and Don Blankenship, chief executive officer of Massey Energy, had vacationed together after Maynard was among justices who voted to throw out a Boone County verdict that would have cost Massey $76 million.

Another state supreme court justice, Brent Benjamin, has been questioned because he hasn't disqualified himself on cases involving Massey though the firm contributed millions toward his election campaign.

"That whole situation is an example of the politics I'm talking about," Walker said. She has acknowledged a tie to the coal mining industry - her husband Mike Walker is executive vice president of Walker Machinery Co. of Belle, W.Va.

Walker said if elected, she wouldn't recuse herself from every case involving the coal industry but would recuse herself if a case involved her husband's company or the Charleston law firm where she's been employed for 17 years. Walker is a partner with Bowles, Rice, McDavid, Graff and Love, where she has focused on labor and employment law and represented small and large businesses, colleges, counties, cities and school boards.

She is a graduate of Hillsdale College, where she graduated summa cum laude, and Ohio State University, where she earned a degree in law and served as articles editor for the Ohio State Law Journal. Walker has been admitted to practice law in the U.S. Supreme Court, U.S. Court of Appeals for the fourth and sixth circuits, West Virginia and Ohio district courts and West Virginia Supreme Court.

In the fall, Walker will face two Democrats - former state Supreme Court justice Margaret Workman of Charleston and Huntington attorney Menis Ketchum. If she and Workman are elected, the majority of the state Supreme Court will be women.

Walker said that's not an issue for most voters. "I think voters are looking at experience and qualifications, what someone brings to the job. There are more women in higher positions in the state than there have been before. It's not really a barrier.

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