Larry Starcher

Larry V. Starcher was a justice on the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia. In November 1996, he was elected as a Democrat in a partisan election to the Supreme Court of Appeals. He served as chief justice in 1999 and 2003.

Starcher died on December 24, 2022.^[1]

Education

A native of Roane County, West Virginia, Justice Starcher earned his A.B. in 1964 and his J.D. in 1967 from West Virginia University.

Career

Prior to being elected circuit judge of Monongalia County in 1976, he served as an assistant to the vice president for Off-Campus Education at WVU, as director of the North Central West Virginia Legal Aid Society, and as a private lawyer. He served as a circuit judge for 20 years and as chief judge for 18. While sitting as a circuit judge, Justice Starcher served as a special judge in 23 of West Virginia’s 55 counties. He presided over the trial of 20,000 asbestos injury cases and a six-month state buildings asbestos trial. In November 1996, he was elected to the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals. He served as chief justice in 1999 and 2003.

Awards and associations

Justice Starcher was president of the West Virginia Judicial Association in 1992 and 1993. As a trial judge, he was active in the area of juvenile justice, including establishing alternative learning centers for youths at risk and a youth shelter. He also pioneered the use of work-release and community service as punishment for nonviolent offenders. He was a regular instructor at judicial conferences, and was honored by civic and community groups, including the NAACP, Jaycees, Trial Lawyers, and Probation Officers. In 1978, he was a fellow of the National Endowment for the Humanities at Harvard University. Justice Starcher also served as an adjunct lecturer at the West Virginia University College of Law.