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West Virginia Court of Claims - Judges

J. David Cecil, Presiding Judge, of St. Albans, Kanawha County, West Virginia. Appointed to West Virginia Court of Claims for a six year term beginning July 1, 2009. Reappointed in 2015. 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.

George F. Fordham Jr. Judge, of Bridgeport, Harrison County, West Virginia. Appointed to West Virginia Court of Claims for a six-year term, beginning July 1, 2013. Born July 24, 1951 in Beckley, son of George F. Fordham, M.D. and Ruth Hawes Fordham. Education: Wyoming County Public Schools, St Francis de Sales, Beckley; Hargrave Military Academy, Chatham, VA (Magna Cum Laude, 1969); Xavier University, Cincinnati, Ohio (B.S. Nolo Cum Laude, 1973); Loyola University, New Orleans, Louisiana (J.D. 1978). Admissions: Louisiana State Bar, 1978; West Virginia State Bar 1979; United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth and Fifth Circuits (Including Panama Canal Zone), 1978; United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit, 1981; Northern and Southern Districts of West Virginia, 1981. Judge, West Virginia Court of Claims, 2004-2009, 2011-2013 (Presiding Judge 2008-2009). Special Prosecutor, Harrison County, 1988. Founding Member, West Virginia Society for Criminal Justice (Board of Directors, 1993-Present); Harrison County Bar Association 1981-Present (Board of Directors, 1993-2003); Chairman Board of Directors Harrison County Public Defender Corp. (1999-Present); Bridgeport Police Civil Service Commission 1991-92; Chairman, Harrison County Democratic Executive Committee, 2002-2006; Member, West Virginia State Democratic Executive Committee, 1994-1998, 2004-2008, 2010-Present; President, Harrison County Welsh Corgi Club; All Saints Catholic Church, Bridgeport, WV

Thomas C. "T.C." McCarthy Jr., Judge, of Wheeling, Ohio County, West Virginia, was appointed to the Court of Claims for a six year term beginning July 1, 2011. Born June 9, 1945, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the son of T. Carroll McCarthy, Sr. and Irene C. McCarthy. Education: Munhall High School, Munhall, PA; Gettysburg College in 1967 with a B.A. Degree in Economics where he was a member of Pi Lambda Sigma National Business/Economics Honor Society; and, in 1971, from West Virginia University College of Law. He has practiced law in Wheeling for forty-one years starting as a Associate with the firm of Gompers and Buch from 1971-73, and then as a partner in the firm of Gompers, McCarthy & McClure from 1974 to the present. He served as City Solicitor for the City of Wellsburg (1971-75), as well as Attorney for the Wellsburg Sanitary Board (1976-80). He also served as Assistant City Solicitor for the City of Wheeling (1973-84) and was Village Solicitor for the Village of Bethlehem. He has extensive experience lecturing and presenting at seminars, and he has taught a seminar at Wheeling Jesuit University (formerly Wheeling Jesuit College) to nursing education students titled "Negligence Liability Law as it Relates to the Professional Nurse" from 1969 to the present. He is past President of the West Virginia Trial Lawyers Association nka West Virginia Association for Justice (1986-87). He is current President of the Ohio County Bar Association (2011-present), and he is a Charter Member/Life Member of the West Virginia Bar Foundation, Inc. He received the "Distinguished Service Award" in 2009 from the American Association for Justice. He received the "Outstanding Trial Lawyer Member Award" in 1991 from the West Virginia Trial Lawyers Association, and the "Presidential Award for Outstanding Service and Dedication" in 1988 and the "Man of the Hour Award" in 1987 for outstanding leadership and service. He received the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia Certificate of Appreciation for Services Performed as Member of the Supreme Court Pattern Jury Instructions Committee in 2000. He has received an A.V. Rating from Martindale Hubbell, which is the highest possible peer review rating for Legal Ability and Ethical Standards



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