John G. Hackney Jr., Presiding Judge, of Charleston, Kanawha County, WV. Appointed to West Virginia Court of Claims for a six year term beginning July 1, 2007. Born March 11, 1952, in Charleston, son of John Grant Hackney & Harriett W. Hackney. Married to Martha D. Hackney; children, Johanna H. Hackney and Joshua E. Hackney. Education: Kanawha County Public Schools; West Virginia University (B.A., 1974, Cum Laude); Tulane University, New Orleans Louisiana (J.D. 1982). Admissions: Louisiana State Bar 1982; West Virginia State Bar 1983; United States District Court, Southern District of West Virginia 1983; United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit 1988. Clerk, United States Attorney’s Office, New Orleans Louisiana 1981-1982. Assistant Prosecuting Attorney, Kanawha County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office 1983-1988. Hearing Examiner, West Virginia Workers’ Compensation Commission 1988-1991. Legislative Draftsman, Legislative Services, State Capitol Building, Charleston 1987-1989, 1993-1994, 1996-2007. West Virginia State Senate, Counsel to Agriculture, Natural Resources and Military Committees 1990-1991; Assistant Attorney General, West Virginia Attorney General’s Office (Division of Higher Education) 1991-1993. Private Law Practice 1988-1991, 1994-2008. Sponsor and Coach, Central Youth League T-Ball & Baseball, Kanawha County 1990-1998. Member of the First Presbyterian Church in Charleston.
Robert B. Sayre, Judge, of Beckley, Raleigh County, WV. Fellow, West Virginia Bar Foundation. Interim Appointment to West Virginia Court of Claims on April 7, 2004. Born April 7, 1932 in Beckley; son of Floyd and Winifred Lynch Sayre. Married to Margaret James Sayre; children: William J. Sayre, M.D. and Frances E. Sayre. Education: Beckley Public Schools; West Virginia University (B.S., 1953; J.D., 1957). First Lieutenant, U.S. Army: Chinese Nationalist Army Advisor, Formosa (1954-1956). Member: West Virginia House of Delegates (1967-1968); Ethics Commission (1989-1992); P.E.I.A. finance Board (1999-2000); Promise Scholarship Board (2001-2004). National Park Service: Mid-Atlantic Council (1997-Present). St. Stephen's Episcopal Church: Past Senior Warden; Diocesan Council. Rotary International: District Governor (1995-1996); Delegate, Council on Legislation (2001). Past President: Raleigh County Bar Association; Beckley Rotary Club; Beckley Area Foundation; Flat Top Lake Association; Friends of Raleigh County Public Library; Raleigh County Historical Society; Woodrow Wilson High School's Scholarship Foundation. Admitted to practice law on June 4, 1957: West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals, United States District Court and Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals.
J. David Cecil, Judge, of St. Albans, Kanawha County, West Virginia. Appointed to West Virginia Court of Claims for a six year term beginning July 1, 2009. Born November 16, 1941, in South Charleston, son of John D. Cecil and Agnes Graham Cecil. Married to Jacquelyn Roush Cecil; children, Jennifer N. Oiler, John K. Cecil and Jana M. Cecil. Education: Kanawha County Public Schools; B.A. (1963) West Virginia University College of Law (JD 1970). Admissions: West Virginia State Bar 1970; U.S. District Courts, Southern and Northern Districts 1970; U.S. Court of Appeals for Fourth Judicial Circuit 1976; United States Supreme Court 1980. Trial Counsel, Charleston Legal Aid Society 1970-1972; Law Clerk Chief Justice, Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia, 1972-1974; State Director West Virginia Legal Services, 1974-1977. Firm of Sprouse & Cecil 1977-1979. Partner, Cecil, Pearson and Barth 1980-1993; Special Attorney General to West Virginia Public Energy Authority, 1988-1990; Partner, Armada & Cecil, 1995-1999. Managing Attorney, Humphreys and Associates, 1999-2007; Of counsel, Barth & Thompson, 2008-present.
