H. B. 4119
(By Delegate Thompson)
[Introduced January 21, 2000; referred to the
Committee on Government Organization then the Judiciary.]
A BILL to amend and reenact section four, article two, chapter
fourteen of the code of West Virginia, one thousand nine
hundred thirty-one, as amended, relating to the membership
of the court of claims.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That section four, article two, chapter fourteen of the code
of West Virginia, one thousand nine hundred thirty-one, as
amended, be amended and reenacted to read as follows:
ARTICLE 2. CLAIMS AGAINST THE STATE.
§14-2-4. Creation of court of claims; appointment and terms of
judges; vacancies.
The "court of claims" is hereby created. It shall consist of three judges, to be appointed by the president of the Senate
and the speaker of the House of Delegates, by and with the advice
and consent of the Senate, one of whom shall be appointed
presiding judge. Each appointment to the court shall be made
from a list of three qualified nominees furnished by the board of
governors of the West Virginia state bar.
The terms of the judges of this court shall be six years,
except that the first members of the court shall be appointed as
follows: One judge for two years, one judge for four years and
one judge for six years. As these appointments expire, all
appointments shall be for six-year terms. Not more than two of
the judges shall be of the same political party. An appointment
to fill a vacancy shall be for the unexpired term: Provided,
That the next appointment made to this court shall be a person
from the southern geographical part of West Virginia.
NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to make the next person
appointed to the Court of Claims be from the southern part of the
state.
Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken
from the present law, and underscoring indicates new language
that would be added.