Published: May 14, 2008 01:35 am         

Staton, Lazenby, McGraw to serve 13th Circuit family court

Beckley attorney K. Bruce Lazenby will join incumbents Suzanne McGraw and Louise G. Staton as family law judges for the 13th Circuit, unofficial results indicate.

The 13th Circuit office of family law judge covers three divisions. Incumbent H. Suzanne McGraw of Beckley ran unopposed in Division 1. Yahon Lamont Smith of Allen Junction challenged incumbent Louise G. Staton of Mullens in Division 2. And the newly created Division 3 welcomed several candidates, all of whom are well known attorneys in the Beckley area. They were Stacey Fragile, Pat Lamp, Lazenby, John F. Parkulo, Thomas Patterson and Stan Selden. All are Democrats.

Returns were in from all of Raleigh and Summers counties as of press time. Wyoming County had yet to count all of its electronic and paper ballots, but early returns were showing similar results.



In the second division, Staton held the front spot in all three counties.

In Raleigh County, Staton led with 7,143 votes (or 66.19 percent) to Smith’s 3,649 (or 33.81 percent). In Summers County Staton had 1,610 votes to Smith’s 853. Wyoming County showed Staton with 3,450 votes and Smith with 1,918, with more than half the votes tallied.

“I would like to thank the people of Raleigh and Wyoming County for having the faith to return me to the bench,” Staton said. “I look forward to continuing to serve the people of those counties. I would also like to thank the people of Summers County for electing me to serve as their Family Court Judge. I promise to work hard to see that every Family Court litigant receives a prompt, fair hearing.

“I have devoted my life to serving families in southern West Virginia. I pledge to spend my next eight years continuing that hard work, and to helping keep children safe and families strong in Raleigh, Wyoming and Summers County. Thank you all for your support.”

Staton was first appointed to the bench on July 1, 1994, by Gov. Gaston Caperton. She served as family law master, being reappointed once by the circuit judges in Raleigh and Wyoming counties. When the West Virginia Legislature created the family court in 2001, she was appointed to be a family court judge in Raleigh and Wyoming counties. She was subsequently elected to that position in 2002.

Staton assisted in crafting the legislation necessary to create the family court system as well as serving on advisory committees regarding the implementation of shared parenting, the income shares child support formula and the transfer of jurisdiction of domestic violence to family court.



In the third division, Lazenby took a strong early lead and finished in Raleigh County with 4,742 votes (or 34.95 percent) and in Summers County with 976. Wyoming County showed Lazenby in the lead with 1,702 votes, although counting was not finished.

“For me, the highlight of this campaign for family court judge was how my hard work and personal face-to-face campaigning allowed me to meet some of the nicest people of our great state,” Lazenby said. “I look forward to being able to serve the wonderful people of Raleigh, Summers and Wyoming counties.”

Lazenby has practiced law in southern West Virginia for more than 30 years. He was twice elected prosecuting attorney of Raleigh County and twice elected to the Raleigh County Democrat Executive Committee. He has served as family law master and magistrate.

He based his candidacy on the need to reform family court by allowing litigants the time necessary to present their cases, including those against parents who refuse to pay child support or allow the other parent equal access to their children. He also has pledged to vigorously refer and follow up on cases of alleged child abuse.



Coming in behind Lazenby was Stacey Fragile, the race’s youngest candidate. She concluded the evening in Raleigh County with a total of 2,845 votes and in Summers County with 586, the second position in both counties.

With more than half the votes counted in Wyoming County, she also held second place there with 781 votes.

Parkulo followed with a total of 2,298 votes from Raleigh County and 257 from Summers County. He was holding the third spot among Wyoming County voters with 773 votes.

Patterson had 1,941 votes from Raleigh and 536 from Summers. He was showing 698 votes in Wyoming County at press time.

Lamp finished with 1,196 votes in Raleigh and 193 in Summers.

He was showing 640 votes in Wyoming County.

And Selden ended the night with 547 votes in Raleigh and 314 in Summers. Wyoming was showing him with 199 votes at press time.



The 13th Circuit, since it was established in 2001, has served Raleigh and Wyoming counties. It will take in Summers County beginning in January 2009.

Family court judges hear cases involving such matters as divorce, annulment, separate maintenance, family support, paternity, child custody and visitation. Family court judges also conduct final hearings in domestic violence cases.

In 2007, House Bill No. 3106 added 10 judges to the state’s family court system, spurred mainly by a State Justice Institute report that found the courts’ dockets to be overloaded.

That report cited a need in the 13th circuit for 1.7 additional judges, so the election of a third family law judge fell to area voters for the first time Tuesday.

The bill also realigned the circuits, joining Summers County with Raleigh and Wyoming.

Results will become official pending the results of canvasses in the three counties.

— E-mail: bnaudrey@

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