Louis Bloom
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Louis 'Duke' Bloom was a judge of the Thirteenth Circuit Court in West Virginia. He left office on June 30, 2023.
This office is outside of Ballotpedia's coverage scope and does not receive scheduled updates. Our scope includes all elected federal and state officeholders as well as comprehensive coverage of the 100 largest cities in America by population.
Bloom ran for re-election in 2016.[1] He won the general election on May 10, 2016.
Education
Bloom received both his undergraduate degree and his J.D. from West Virginia University.[2]
Career
Before he became a judge, Bloom served as the commissioner for Kanawha County from 1987 to 2000. He also previously practiced law at his own firm of Bloom Law Offices, which he established in 1985. Before that, Bloom practiced law with the firm of Preiser and Wilson.[3]
Elections
2016
West Virginia held general elections for county judicial offices on May 10, 2016. This date coincided with partisan primaries for statewide and federal offices. The 2016 election was the first nonpartisan election for the state's judicial seats since statehood in 1863. Learn more about this change here. Candidates interested in filing for the election submitted paperwork by January 30, 2016. Incumbent Louis Bloom ran unopposed in the general election for the West Virginia Judicial Circuit 13, Division 5 seat.[1]
| West Virginia Judicial Circuit 13, Division 5 General Election, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
 Louis Bloom Incumbent (unopposed) |
99.31% | 32,573 |
| Write-in votes | 0.69% | 225 |
| Total Votes | 32,798 | |
| Source: West Virginia Secretary of State, "Election Results Center," accessed May 10, 2016 | ||
Selection method
- See also: Nonpartisan election of judges
The judges of the West Virginia Circuit Court are elected in nonpartisan elections to serve eight-year terms. Judges must run for re-election when their terms expire.[4]
The chief judge of each circuit court is selected by peer vote. Term lengths vary by circuit.[4]
Qualifications
To serve on a West Virginia Circuit Court, a judge must be:[4]
- a citizen of West Virginia for at least five years;
- a resident of his or her circuit;
- at least 30 years old; and
- practiced in law for at least five years.
Noteworthy events
West Virginia judge tackles truancy
Prior to 2012, truancy cases were shared among all judges on the Thirteenth Judicial Circuit in West Virginia's Kanawha County. However, one judge on the court, Louis 'Duke' Bloom, opted to take over all truancy cases involving elementary school students starting last school year. Judge Bloom believes that good school attendance and involvement now can lead to less interactions with the court system in the future, so he has made an effort to increase consequences against parents with truant children.[1]
First offenses can lead to probation and a fine, second offenses can result in jail time or loss of custody if there are underlying factors impacting school attendance.[1] Bloom says that the next few weeks will be instrumental in determining if the increased attention to truancy cases in the past year is having an effect. Last year, there were approximately 400 truancy cases filed in Kanawha County courts; truancy rates generally increase during the second half of the school year, after the holidays.[1]
See also
- Courts in West Virginia
- West Virginia counties
- Judicial selection in West Virginia
- News: West Virginia elections complaint gag law voided by judge, June 28, 2012
External links
- West Virginia Judiciary: Thirteenth Judicial Circuit Judges and Court Information
- West Virginia Judiciary, "Circuit Courts Overview"
- West Virginia Judiciary, "Court Information by County"
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 West Virginia Secretary of State, "Candidate Search," accessed February 16, 2016 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; name "wv" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ Martindale.com, Judge Profile: Louis H. Bloom
- ↑ West Virginia Association For Justice: 54th Annual Convention and Seminar Faculty, accessed November 25, 2013
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 American Judicature Society, "Methods of Judicial Selection: West Virginia," archived October 3, 2014
Federal courts:
Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: Northern District of West Virginia, Southern District of West Virginia • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: Northern District of West Virginia, Southern District of West Virginia
State courts:
Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia • West Virginia Intermediate Court of Appeals • West Virginia Circuit Courts • West Virginia Family Courts • West Virginia Magistrate Courts • West Virginia Municipal Courts
State resources:
Courts in West Virginia • West Virginia judicial elections • Judicial selection in West Virginia
