Supreme Court of Appeals To
Hear Cases In Morgantown

      Morgantown, W.Va. - The Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia will hear oral arguments in four cases at the West Virginia University College of Law in Morgantown on Tuesday, March 9, at 10:00 a.m. The public is invited to attend. Members of the public also may watch and listen to the arguments over the Supreme Court Web site at www.state.wv.us/wvsca.

      After the arguments, the five justices of West Virginia’s highest court will judge the two student finalists in the law school’s Moot Court Baker Cup Competition at 1:30 p.m., which is open to the public. The public also is invited to a free seminar from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. in Room 153 at the law school to discuss the lives and work of West Virginia civil rights pioneers J. R. Clifford and Carrie Williams.

      "Our visit to the law school has become a Supreme Court tradition because it benefits both the students and the public who may have never before seen a Supreme Court session. Traveling to other locations is one of the best ways to increase understanding of the Supreme Court’s role in our judicial system," Chief Justice Elliott E. Maynard said.

      The following cases are scheduled for the docket: 1) Lisa Akers v. Cabell Huntington Hospital, Inc; 2) Mario Perito, II v. The County of Brooke; 3) State of West Virginia v. Jimmie Meccya Williams; and 4) Raleigh Mine & Industrial Supply, Inc. v. William F. Vieweg, Commissioner.

      The first case is an appeal of a directed verdict in favor of Cabell Huntington Hospital in an employment lawsuit alleging sexual harassment and reprisal issues.

      The second case is a certified question from the Brooke County Circuit Court asking if a convicted felon who the governor has unconditionally pardoned is exempt from a state law that requires convicted felons to petition the circuit court before they can possess a firearm.

      The third case is a criminal defendant's appeal from his conviction for two felony counts of third degree sexual assault.

      The fourth case is an appeal from a circuit court order affirming the decision of the West Virginia Bureau of Employment Programs, Workers' Compensation Division, which held that Raleigh Mine and Industrial Supply's acquisition of Teays Inc. was a "succession" for purposes of West Virginia's workers' compensation law.

      More detailed case summaries are available on the Supreme Court Web site at www.state.wv.us/wvsca/calendar/march9_04ad.htm

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