West Virginia Judge Loses After Opposing Legal Reform

On November 3, 2004, West Virginia voters replaced Justice Warren McGraw on the state Supreme Court Tuesday with Brent Benjamin. The race centered on lawsuit abuse and McGraw’s connections to trial lawyers, as well as his soft-on-crime record. Benjamin is elected for a 12 year term.

According to The Charleston Gazzette:

“The 47-year-old Charleston lawyer [Benjamin] is not tied to labor unions and plaintiffs’ lawyers as McGraw was. During the election, his opponents said he would rule for Blankenship and other businessmen who helped his cause.

After his victory speech in the Capitol Roasters coffee shop in downtown Charleston, Benjamin told reporters that he will be a fair judge who “will follow the law and hopefully bring predictability and stability to our legal system.”

“I can tell you I am not bought by anybody,” he said.”