Supreme Court Chief Justice Brent D. Benjamin and Governor Joe Manchin III dedicated two new courtrooms in Mercer County on Monday, November 30, 2009.

The new courtrooms are located in the Mercer County Courthouse Annex and are used by Circuit Judge Omar J. Aboulhosn and Family Court Judge Lisa K. Clark.

The dedication ceremony took place in the Mercer County Courthouse courtroom of Judge William J. Sadler. Justices Menis E. Ketchum and Thomas E. McHugh also attended the ceremony.

"It is such a wonderful day when we open courtrooms," said Chief Justice Benjamin. "They say a courtroom often takes on the personalities of the judges who serve in them. I'm confident that the two new courtrooms will have a good service here. It will be many years in which the courtrooms give good service to the state."

The judges needed new courtrooms because they are both in new positions created by the Legislature to address the growing family court and circuit court caseloads in Mercer County.

"Mercer County greatly needed the addition of both judges," said Supreme Court Administrative Director Steve Canterbury. "The Mercer County Commission and its Building Authority have done a wonderful job incorporating these new positions into their marvelous Annex. Appropriately appointed courtroom facilities are fundamental to providing justice for all."

Governor Joe Manchin appointed Judge Aboulhosn on December 5, 2008, to the new third seat in the Ninth Judicial Circuit. The position was one of three new circuit judge seats created by Senate Bill 291, which passed during the 2008 regular legislative session. 

Judge Clark was elected in November 2008 to a new seat in the Twelfth Family Court Circuit, a position which was created during the 2007 legislative session.




Back to Amicus