Photo from Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia Facebook page

Putnam County Circuit Court Judge Joseph Reeder has been appointed to the Business Court Division of the West Virginia State Supreme Court. As a Business Court Division Judge, Reeder will preside over business litigation cases which are assigned by the Business Court Division chairman.

Supreme Court Chief Justice John Hutchison appointed Judge Reeder to serve on the Business Court in October to a term which will end on December 31, 2025.

The Business Court Division is a specialized court docket within circuit courts. Any party or judge may seek a referral of business litigation to the division. The Supreme Court Chief Justice reviews all motions to refer. Once a case is assigned to the Business Court Division, the division chair assigns one of the division judges as the presiding judge and may assign resolution judges in the case.

Judge Michael Lorensen of the 23rd Judicial Circuit (Berkeley, Jefferson and Morgan Counties) is the Business Court Division Chair.

Other Business Court Division judges are: Judge David M. Hammer of the 23rd Circuit, Judge Paul T. Farrell of the 6th Circuit (Cabell County), Judge Maryclaire Akers of the 13th Circuit (Kanawha County), Judge Shawn D. Nines of the 19th Circuit (Barbour and Taylor Counties), and Senior Status Judge Christopher Wilkes.