Tim Armstead To Be Chief Justice For 2024

The West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals voted to designate Tim Armstead as chief justice for 2024. 

The change is part of a yearly rotation of the position between the five justices. Armstead has 10 years left in his current term and last served as chief justice in 2020.

Armstead will take over the position currently occupied by Justice Elizabeth Walker on Jan. 1. He said he wants to continue to make it more open to the public.

“I want to continue the work that Chief Justice Walker has done this year, in trying to open up the court and make it more accessible and more transparent,” Armstead said. “I think that’s been a very important accomplishment. And I want to continue that.”

Armstead also wants to address challenges the court faces in child abuse and neglect cases. 

“In terms of our child abuse and neglect cases in our state. You know, there’s been a rise in the number of those cases,” Armstead said. 

However, he said there is a declining number of attorneys with the state to handle these cases and serve as guardians for the children. He plans to work with the legislature to take steps to attract more attorneys who are willing to serve as attorneys for those children. 

“We want to make sure that process works in the best interest of those children. And we’re going to take some steps this year to hopefully make that process work better,” Armstead said.