Court Improvement Program
The Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia established the West Virginia Court Improvement Program Oversight Board in 1995, which took over the Broadwater Committee’s work to improve outcomes for children and families in child abuse and neglect cases. The Court established the Broadwater Committee in the mid-1990s during Chief Justice Margaret Workman’s previous tenure on the Supreme Court, which was from 1988 to 1999.
The Court Improvement Program Board was created as a result of the federal Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993. That act designated federal funding beginning in fiscal year 1995 for grants to state court systems to conduct assessments of their foster case laws and judicial processes and to develop and implement a plan for system improvement. The Oversight Board is the advisory group and task force to implement the program in West Virginia, and continues to obtain federal grant funding every year. Judge Derek C. Swope of the Ninth Judicial Circuit (Mercer County) is the chairman of the Oversight Board.
Court Improvement Program Oversight Board member list
Four subcommittees assist the Oversight Board:
- Youth and Family Services, co-chaired by Judge Louis “Duke” Bloom of the Thirteenth Judicial Circuit (Kanawha County) and Judge David Janes of the Sixteenth Judicial Circuit (Marion County).
- Child Protection Across Court Systems, chaired by Family Court Judge Peter Conley of the Eighteenth Family Court Circuit (Doddridge and Harrison Counties)
- Federal Review and Data, Statutes, and Rules, chaired by Judge Derek Swope of the Ninth Judicial Circuit (Mercer County)
- Training, chaired by Senior Status Judge Robert Stone of the Seventeenth Judicial Circuit (Monongalia County)
Court Improvement Program Grants
The Court Improvement Program in West Virginia currently receives three federal grants, which are matched with state funds. They are referred to as the “Basic," “Training," and “Data Collection” grants.
Basic Grant
Projects funded by Basic grants include
- Assessment of interstate placements,
- Judicial Benchbook for Abuse and Neglect Proceedings,
- Timely and complete court orders,
- Court rules,
- Judge-led stakeholder meetings, and
- Assessment of overlap rules.
Training Grant
Projects funded by Training grants include
- GAL Training,
- Annual CASA Training Conference,
- Cross-training on basic and advanced topics and judicial education, and
- Training for court and legal professionals on the JANIS database.
Data Grant
Projects funded by Data Collection grants include
- Creation of uniform case plans in electronic formats,
- Electronic case tracking, and
- JANIS enhancements.
For more information about the Court Improvement Program, contact
Cindy Largent-Hill
Director, Children and Juvenile Services
Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia
Administrative Office
Capitol Building 1, Room E-100
1900 Kanawha Blvd. E.
Charleston, WV 25305
(304) 558-0145 (main) or 304-558-6847 (direct)
Fax: (304) 558-0775
Email: Cindy Largent-Hill