Published: February 28, 2008 10:08 pm         

Irons seeks third term as circuit judge

Judge Robert A. Irons is seeking a third term as circuit judge for Summers and Monroe counties.

A 16-year veteran of the bench, Irons was elected as the first judge of the 31st Circuit in 1992 and re-elected in 2000. Prior to becoming circuit judge, he practiced law for 12 years, serving a broad range of clients and types of cases, and also served as prosecuting attorney for eight years.

“I deeply appreciate the trust the people of Summers and Monroe counties have shown in me,” Irons said. “It has been an honor to serve as circuit judge and I have done my utmost to be worthy of that trust. For the past 16 years, I have made every effort to be approachable and responsive to all residents of the 31st Circuit, and to treat everyone who comes into the courtroom in a fair and impartial manner. It is gratifying and humbling that so many people have come forward in recent weeks to offer their support in the upcoming primary.”

Irons is a graduate of Union High School and Marshall University, and received his law degree from Washington and Lee University in Lexington, Va. He has attended many specialized judicial training courses at the National Judicial College, and has completed several hundred hours of continuing judicial education through programs conducted by the state Supreme Court.

Irons is currently working with the Summers County Commission to establish a community corrections program as an alternative to incarceration. He said he is excited about this program, which he hopes will both help reduce jail costs and be a productive way to help individuals recover from substance addictions. He hopes to begin a similar program in Monroe County in the near future.

A Monroe County native and lifelong Democrat, Irons is a member of the Hinton Rotary Club and a Paul Harris Fellow. He is also secretary of the Bluegrass Ruritan Club and lieutenant zone governor for Ruritan Zone 1. He has been active in Bluegrass Ruritan (of which his father was a founding member) since 1980, serving as an officer on several occasions, including two terms as club president, and was 2007 zone governor for Ruritan Zone 1.