John A. Hutchison Explained

John A. Hutchison (born 1950) is an American lawyer serving as a justice of the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia. He joined the court in 2018 and served as chief justice in 2022.

Education

Hutchison received his Bachelor of Arts in history and political science from Davis & Elkins College in 1972. He graduated with his Juris Doctor from the West Virginia University College of Law in 1980.^[1]

Career

Hutchison practiced law in Raleigh County for 10 years with Gorman, Sheatsley and Hutchison. In 1991, he opened the Nationwide Insurance West Virginia Trial Division Office and served as its managing trial attorney for four years.^[2]

Judicial service

Hutchison was appointed to the bench in the Tenth Judicial Circuit (Raleigh County) by then-Governor Gaston Caperton in 1995, and he was elected to that seat in 1996 and re-elected in 2000, 2008 and 2016.^[3]

Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia

After the resignation of Justice Allen Loughry,^[4] Hutchison was one of fifteen people interviewed by the West Virginia Judicial Vacancy Advisory Commission for the vacancy. He was appointed by Governor Jim Justice on December 12, 2018.^{[5] [6] [7]} Justice appointed Hutchison despite their different party registration. Hutchison had previously been elected as a Democrat through several partisan judicial elections. Nevertheless, the Republican Justice called Hutchison "one of the most conservative, respected jurists in the state of West Virginia" upon his appointment.^[8] Then-Republican Party Chair Melody Potter celebrated the appointment while Belinda Biafore, chairwoman of the state Democratic Party, accused Justice of playing politics with the appointment.

In June 2020, Hutchison faced his first election to serve the remainder of former Justice Allen Loughry's term.^[9] Hutchison beat Lora Dyer, a circuit court judge on the Fifth West Virginia Circuit Court^[10] and attorney William Schwartz.^[11] Hutchison became chief justice in 2022.^[12]

Personal

He is married to Victoria Lagowski Hutchison and they have two children and two grandchildren.^[13]

External links

• Official Biography on the West Virginia Judiciary website

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Notes and References

1. Web site: Raleigh circuit judge appointed to state Supreme Court . Pierson . Lacie . Charleston Gazette-Mail . December 12, 2018 . en . February 16, 2019.
2. Web site: Raleigh Judge John Hutchison appointed to state Supreme Court . Holdren . Wendy . December 12, 2018 . Beckley Register-Herald . en . March 7, 2020.
3. Web site: Justice John A. Hutchison.
4. Web site: Stuck. Taylor. New faces on state Supreme Court after impeachment proceedings. February 16, 2019. The Herald-Dispatch. December 23, 2018 . en.
5. Web site: Gov. Justice appoints Raleigh County Circuit Court Judge John Hutchison to the Supreme Court of Appeals . December 18, 2018 . governor.wv.gov . en-us . February 16, 2019.
6. Web site: WV MetroNews – Hutchison to take seat on state Supreme Court. wvmetronews.com. December 12, 2018.
7. Web site: WV Judicial System Judges. www.courtswv.gov. February 7, 2019. June 9, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170609121143/http://www.courtswv.gov/public-resources/press/circuitJudgesMasterList2017.html#johnHutchison. dead.
8. News: Adams. Steven Allen. December 13, 2018. West Virginia Governor Appoints Hutchison to State Supreme Court. The Intelligencer and Wheeling News Register.
9. Web site: West Virginia judicial elections, 2012. Ballotpedia.
10. Web site: Lora Dyer. Ballotpedia.
11. Web site: WV election | Schwartzforwv.com | United States. K.. Barger. Wks2020.
12. Web site: Justice John Hutchison to be Chief Justice in 2022, Justice Beth Walker to be Chief Justice in 2023. Administrative Office of the Supreme Court of Appeals State of West Virginia. December 2, 2021. January 17, 2022.
13. Web site: Justice John A. Hutchison - Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia . www.courtswv.gov . February 16, 2019.