Menis Ketchum
Encyclopedia
Menis E. Ketchum II is a justice on the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia
. He was elected as a Democrat to a twelve-year term on the Court in November 2008.
, the son of attorney Chad Ketchum (1911-98). A product of West Virginia public schools, Mr. Ketchum attended Ohio University
in Athens, Ohio
from 1960-64. He played varsity baseball while at OU and was a member of the 1964 Mid-American Conference Championship Baseball Team. Upon returning to West Virginia, he enrolled at the West Virginia University
School of Law in Morgantown
. From 1965-66, he was contributing writer of the West Virginia Law Review
and was Associate Editor from 1966-67. In 1967, he obtained his Juris Doctorate.
to practice law with his father in the law firm of Greene, Ketchum & Baker in 1967. For the past 40 years, Ketchum has litigated various types of cases, including insurance defense, personal injury, criminal prosecution and defense, Maritime, Federal Employers' Liability Act (FELA). He practices law with Greene, Ketchum, Bailey & Tweel and has been senior partner since 1980. According to Ketchum, he has tried more than 170 cases to jury verdict and prosecuted more than 30 reported Supreme Court of Appeals cases.
Recognized continuously since 1989 in The Best Lawyers in America magazine, Mr. Ketchum was formerly a member of the American College of Trial Lawyers and American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA). Throughout his legal career, he has published legal articles and presented numerous continuing legal education seminars to bar associations, adjustor associations and legal assistant associations.
Mr. Ketchum was appointed to the Marshall University
Board of Governors by then-Governor Bob Wise
in 2002. He resigned on January 2, 2008 in order to campaign for a seat on the Supreme Court of Appeals. He was serving as Vice Chairman when he left the university's governing body.
Other Gubernatorial appointments include the State Mine Safety Task Force as Legal Counsel by Governor Joe Manchin
.
He also served the City of Huntington as a member of the Urban Renewal Authority. He participated in the Vision Shared Health Care Team, a statewide program to develop a focus team toward reducing the medically uninsured in the state of West Virginia.
Four Democrats filed for two seats on the State Supreme Court for the 2008 elections. In addition to Menis Ketchum, they were former Supreme Court of Appeals Justice Margaret Workman
, the first woman to serve on the state's high court, WVU law professor and ballot access advocate Bob Bastress, and incumbent Justice Elliott "Spike" Maynard
. Ketchum and Workman managed to unseat Justice Maynard and competed against Republican candidate Beth Walker in the 2008 general election.
During his campaign, Ketchum was a strong advocate for the creation of two intermediate appellate courts to better serve the interests of cases from the Northern Panhandle and Eastern Panhandle. Ketchum also pledged to serve only one 12-year term, if elected.
In the November 4, 2008 general election, Ketchum garnered 34.54% of the vote to 33.68% for Workman. Republican Beth Walker attained 31.78% of the vote.
Justice Ketchum was sworn in on the Supreme Court of Appeals on December 18, 2008 and officially took his seat on January 1, 2009.
Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia
The Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia is the state supreme court of West Virginia, the highest of West Virginia's state courts. It is located in the state capital, Charleston....
. He was elected as a Democrat to a twelve-year term on the Court in November 2008.
Background
Ketchum was born and raised in Wayne County, West VirginiaWayne County, West Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 42,903 people, 17,239 households, and 12,653 families residing in the county. The population density was 85 people per square mile . There were 19,107 housing units at an average density of 38 per square mile...
, the son of attorney Chad Ketchum (1911-98). A product of West Virginia public schools, Mr. Ketchum attended Ohio University
Ohio University
Ohio University is a public university located in the Midwestern United States in Athens, Ohio, situated on an campus...
in Athens, Ohio
Athens, Ohio
Athens is the largest city in, and the county seat of, Athens County, Ohio, United States. It is located along the Hocking River in the southeastern part of Ohio. A historic college town, Athens is home to Ohio University and is the principal city of the Athens, Ohio Micropolitan Statistical Area. ...
from 1960-64. He played varsity baseball while at OU and was a member of the 1964 Mid-American Conference Championship Baseball Team. Upon returning to West Virginia, he enrolled at the West Virginia University
West Virginia University
West Virginia University is a public research university in Morgantown, West Virginia, USA. Other campuses include: West Virginia University at Parkersburg in Parkersburg; West Virginia University Institute of Technology in Montgomery; Potomac State College of West Virginia University in Keyser;...
School of Law in Morgantown
Morgantown, West Virginia
Morgantown is a city in Monongalia County, West Virginia. It is the county seat of Monongalia County. Placed along the banks of the Monongahela River, Morgantown is the largest city in North-Central West Virginia, and the base of the Morgantown metropolitan area...
. From 1965-66, he was contributing writer of the West Virginia Law Review
West Virginia Law Review
The West Virginia Law Review is the student-run publication of the West Virginia University College of Law. It is the fourth oldest law review in the United States, founded in 1894.- Executive Board :*Editor-in-Chief- Jessie Feather Reckart...
and was Associate Editor from 1966-67. In 1967, he obtained his Juris Doctorate.
Career
Ketchum returned to Huntington, West VirginiaHuntington, West Virginia
Huntington is a city in Cabell and Wayne counties in the U.S. state of West Virginia, along the Ohio River. Most of the city is in Cabell County, for which it is the county seat. A small portion of the city, mainly the neighborhood of Westmoreland, is in Wayne County. Its population was 49,138 at...
to practice law with his father in the law firm of Greene, Ketchum & Baker in 1967. For the past 40 years, Ketchum has litigated various types of cases, including insurance defense, personal injury, criminal prosecution and defense, Maritime, Federal Employers' Liability Act (FELA). He practices law with Greene, Ketchum, Bailey & Tweel and has been senior partner since 1980. According to Ketchum, he has tried more than 170 cases to jury verdict and prosecuted more than 30 reported Supreme Court of Appeals cases.
Recognized continuously since 1989 in The Best Lawyers in America magazine, Mr. Ketchum was formerly a member of the American College of Trial Lawyers and American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA). Throughout his legal career, he has published legal articles and presented numerous continuing legal education seminars to bar associations, adjustor associations and legal assistant associations.
Mr. Ketchum was appointed to the Marshall University
Marshall University
Marshall University is a coeducational public research university in Huntington, West Virginia, United States founded in 1837, and named after John Marshall, the fourth Chief Justice of the United States....
Board of Governors by then-Governor Bob Wise
Bob Wise
Robert Ellsworth "Bob" Wise, Jr. is an American politician. A Democrat, Wise served as the 33rd Governor of West Virginia from January 2001 to January 2005.-Early life:...
in 2002. He resigned on January 2, 2008 in order to campaign for a seat on the Supreme Court of Appeals. He was serving as Vice Chairman when he left the university's governing body.
Other Gubernatorial appointments include the State Mine Safety Task Force as Legal Counsel by Governor Joe Manchin
Joe Manchin
Joseph "Joe" Manchin III is the junior United States Senator representing West Virginia. Manchin, a Democrat, was Governor of West Virginia from 2005 to 2010...
.
He also served the City of Huntington as a member of the Urban Renewal Authority. He participated in the Vision Shared Health Care Team, a statewide program to develop a focus team toward reducing the medically uninsured in the state of West Virginia.
Four Democrats filed for two seats on the State Supreme Court for the 2008 elections. In addition to Menis Ketchum, they were former Supreme Court of Appeals Justice Margaret Workman
Margaret Workman
Margaret Lee Workman, a Democrat, is the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia. In West Virginia, the status of Chief Justice, by tradition, rotates between the justices annually and is mainly an administrative post....
, the first woman to serve on the state's high court, WVU law professor and ballot access advocate Bob Bastress, and incumbent Justice Elliott "Spike" Maynard
Spike Maynard
Elliot E. "Spike" Maynard is an American lawyer and former judge from West Virginia. In 1996 he was elected as a Democrat to the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia...
. Ketchum and Workman managed to unseat Justice Maynard and competed against Republican candidate Beth Walker in the 2008 general election.
During his campaign, Ketchum was a strong advocate for the creation of two intermediate appellate courts to better serve the interests of cases from the Northern Panhandle and Eastern Panhandle. Ketchum also pledged to serve only one 12-year term, if elected.
In the November 4, 2008 general election, Ketchum garnered 34.54% of the vote to 33.68% for Workman. Republican Beth Walker attained 31.78% of the vote.
Justice Ketchum was sworn in on the Supreme Court of Appeals on December 18, 2008 and officially took his seat on January 1, 2009.