JUDICIAL CIRCUITS WILL BE RE-DRAWN

(05/19/2006)
The state Supreme Court will redraw West Virginia's judicial boundaries next year to reflect changing caseloads in the state's 31 circuits.

The local circuit is expected to see some changes.

The realignment must be completed before the 2008 election.

During that election, voters will elect two Supreme Court justices, 66 circuit judges and 35 family court judges.

Justices Elliott "Spike" Maynard and Brent Benjamin both say it's too early to say which of the state's districts would be affected.

The number of cases heard in circuit courts has also increased.

The state's newest court system, family court, is the busiest. The average number of cases per judge should be about 900 per year, but the state average is 13-hundred.