Circuit Court Judge John Yoder Dies

John Yoder, a West Virginia circuit court judge and former state senator, died on Friday, according to a statement from the state Supreme Court.

Yoder, a native of Kansas, was circuit judge for the 23rd Judicial Circuit, which includes Berkeley, Jefferson and Morgan counties. The Charleston Gazette-Mail reports he practiced law in Harpers Ferry for 23 years.

Yoder was elected to two separate terms in the state Senate as a Republican in 1992 and 2004. He left the state Senate to run for the circuit court seat in 2008.

Yoder ran unsuccessfully for the state Supreme Court three times, and also for U.S. Senate in 1990.

Supreme Court Chief Justice Allen Loughry says Yoder was “a dedicated public servant who cared about our state.”