Lawmakers Believe This Could Be the Year for New Appeals Court

Some West Virginia lawmakers are hoping this is the year they finally overhaul the state's appellate court system, a plan that would include a new workers' compensation appeals process. Senate Bill 275, sponsored by Senate President Craig Blair, would create a court of appeals between the circuit court and the state Supreme Court. The measure has the support of the governor and business groups. But some workers' compensation defense attorneys and claimants' attorneys have questioned the need, and have warned it would eliminate administrative law judges and their years of inst...