The2000 West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals election took place on November 7, 2000, to elect two Justices of theSupreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia for the next 12 years. The electoral system requires voters to vote for no more than two candidates.
Both Democratic candidates, former JusticeJoseph Albright and incumbent JusticeRobin Davis, were the top two vote-getters with 41.0% and 34.6% of the vote, respectively. Lone Republican nominee and former State SenatorJohn C. Yoder came in a distant third with 24.4%, thus losing the election.
Another Democratic Justice, Thomas B. Miller, retired in August 1994. Democratic governorGaston Caperton subsequently appointedFranklin Cleckley to fill the vacancy.[3] A special election was held for the seat in1996, which Cleckley did not contest. DemocratRobin Davis won the election to fill the unexpired term.
Originally elected in1998, Democratic JusticeWarren McGraw sought JusticeGeorge M. Scott's open seat which was up for election in 2000, and was a twelve year term which would expire in2012, despite the fact that his own term would expire in2004. This was challenged in the state Supreme Court, and in a 4-1 decision, the Court held that McGraw was ineligible to run for a 12-year term in the year 2000 when he was already a member of the Court until the year 2004, and referred to his action as "audacious".[4][5][6][7]
