Judge Johnson also is a member of the Commission to Study the Residential Placement of Children, which is led by West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources Secretary Martha Walker.

Upon receiving the Extra Mile Award, Judge Johnson thanked the members of the Court Improvement Program and all collaborative disciplines for their dedicated work. He emphasized the need for prevention of child abuse and neglect, saying he thinks that assisting "a child in the playpen" is a better use of resources than housing that child later as an adult "in the state pen."

Supreme Court Administrator Steve Canterbury said, "Judge Johnson’s absolute dedication to children, his common sense approach to issues, and his depth of knowledge of the law does all of us in the Court system proud. He’s clearly one of our best."

This award follows recognition that Judge Johnson has received from the Nicholas County Family Resource Network and Nicholas/Webster Foster Parent Association for his commitment to finding permanent, safe homes for abused and neglected children. He has been declared an "Angel in Adoption" by the United States Congress and the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute.

Judge Johnson is the father of five children and resides with his wife, Susan, in Richwood, W.Va.

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