UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF WEST VIRGINIA
HUNTINGTON DIVISION
ENTERED
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JAN 10 2024
RORY L PERRY 11, CLERK
U.S. o;strict Court
Southern Olstrict of West Vlr lnla
IN RE: STANDARDS AND PROCEDURES FOR THE APPOINTMENT
OF A FULL-TIME MAGISTRATE JUDGE AT HUNTINGTON
GENERAL ORDER
In accordance with 28 U.S.C. § 631 and the Regulations of the Judicial Conference
of the United States Establishing Standards and Procedures for the Appointment and
Reappointment of United States Magistrate Judges, it is hereby ORDERED that a Merit
Selection Panel be established to consider the appointment of a new Magistrate Judge for
the Southern District of West Virginia, at Huntington, West Virginia, to a full eight-year
term. Upon a vote of the district judges of this court, it is further ORDERED that the
following seven persons shall constitute the Merit Selection Panel of this court:
Sharon Frazier, Esq., Chairman
Huntington, WV
Mark H. Hayes, Esq.
Charleston, WV
Rich Weston, Esq.
Huntington, WV
Michelle Roman Fox, Esq.
Hurricane, WV
Robert H. “Bo” Sweeney, Jr., Esq.
Huntington, WV
Scott Anderson (Non-Attorney Member)
Huntington, WV
Kevin Craig (Non-Attorney Member)
Huntington, WV
It is further ORDERED that Sharon Frazier be designated as Chair of the Panel.
The Chair shall set the time, place, and manner of meetings, preside at all meetings, and
propose the rules and procedures to be adopted for its review of the incumbent. Members
of the Panel have been notified in writing that Judicial Conference regulations preclude
any member of the Panel from applying for a magistrate judge position within one year
of serving on the Panel.
Members of the Panel are hereby notified to review each of the applications
received for the office of Magistrate Judge to ensure that all applicants are qualified.
Failure to meet the statutory and regulatory requirements will result in an automatic
rejection of an applicant. Following the initial screening of applications, the Merit
Selection Panel, in its discretion, may choose to conduct personal interviews of some or
all of the qualified applicants. When evaluating the applicants, the Merit Selection Panel
shall consider each applicant’s academic record and related achievements in law school,
how long the applicant has practiced law and the type of legal practice, the applicant’s
familiarity with the federal court system, and any other pertinent evidence as to the
applicant’s good character, judgment, legal ability, temperament, and commitment to
equal justice under the law.
After all written information has been obtained, all interviews have been
completed, and all follow-up information has been gathered, members of the Merit
Selection Panel shall determine collectively which individuals among the applicants meet
all the standards and appear qualified for appointment as a United States Magistrate
Judge. Following these discussions, the Merit Selection Panel shall designate the names
of five applicants that it finds most qualified to serve as a United States Magistrate Judge.
Decisions by the Panel shall be by a majority vote of all the members.
The Merit Selection Panel must submit its report to Chief Judge Thomas E.
Johnston on or before February 23, 2024. The report of the Panel shall specify the total
number of individuals who applied for the position and the names of the five persons it
has determined to be the most qualified. All written information received or prepared by
the Panel concerning the recommended applicants must accompany the Panel’s report to
the Court. Panel members shall keep confidential all information, written and oral,
obtained while performing their duties.
The court will make the appointment following an FBI full-field investigation and
an IRS tax check of the applicant selected by the court for appointment. An affirmative
effort will be made to give due consideration to all qualified applicants without regard to
race, color, age (40 and over), gender, religion, national origin, or disability.
In compliance with the Judicial Conference Regulations, the court hereby
ORDERS that the required public notice of this appointment may include, but not be
limited to, general local newspapers at Huntington and Charleston, postings on the
court’s website or The West Virginia State Bar’s website, notices in The West Virginia
State Bar weekly Bar Blast, notices from the Cabell County, Putnam County, Mason
County, and Wayne County Bar Associations, and notices from The Mountain State Bar
Association.
ENTERED this 10th day of January, 2024.
ROBERT C. CHAMBERS
UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE
David A. Faber
Senior United States District Judge
