| The Fifth Judicial Circuit will get a third judge during the next election cycle, a bill passed by the West Virginia Legislature.
The four county district of Calhoun, Roane, Jackson and Mason is currently served by two judge Thomas Evans III and David W. Nibert.
Under current status, the third judge would come from Calhoun or Roane county, two judges not allowed from the same county.
Mercer County Circuit Judge Derek Swope said,
"The driver of the need is the abuse and neglect docket. It's blown out of the ceiling."
Calhoun County has among the highest number of abuse and neglect cases in the Mountain State.
The bill calls for the addition of a minimum of four circuit judges in the Mountain State, based on a study conducted last year that recommended 19 circuit judges be added in West Virginia, but the bill addressed the four circuits with the greatest need.
There are currently 70 circuit judges in the state's 31 judicial districts.
The bill says the cost of adding four judges would be $500,000 per judge.
| 
