Thomas Ewing, left, looks on with his wife Mindy Ewing, center, as they join Gov. Patrick Morrisey at a news conference at the West Virginia Capitol on Wednesday, Aug. 8, 2025. Morrisey announced the appointment of Thomas Ewing to fill the seat on the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals.
Thomas Ewing, left, looks on with his wife Mindy Ewing, center, as they join Gov. Patrick Morrisey at a news conference at the West Virginia Capitol on Wednesday, Aug. 8, 2025. Morrisey announced the appointment of Thomas Ewing to fill the seat on the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals.
GOVERNOR'S OFFICE | Courtesy photo
Fayette County Circuit Court Judge Thomas Ewing is shown in this undated contributed photo.
CHARLESTON ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥” Gov. Patrick Morrisey has appointed Thomas Ewing, a Fayette County Circuit Court judge, to the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals.
Ewing, 47, of Edmond, Fayette County, will fill the vacancy left by the retirement of Justice Beth Walker.
Ewing will have to seek election to the seat in a special election in May 2026 and then seek a full term in May 2028, according to a social media post from Morrisey.
At a news conference Wednesday, Morrisey said the Judicial Vacancy Advisory Committee gave him a shortlist of four candidates out of the 15 that applied.
Ewing has been a circuit court judge since 2019. He grew up in Hico and graduated from Glenville State College and West Virginia University. Before working as a judge, he was an attorney with the law firm of Kay, Casto & Chaney, which has offices throughout West Virginia.
He has served as a commissioner on West VirginiaÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s Juvenile Justice Commission since 2019. Ewing has already served on six cases at the Supreme Court of Appeals by temporary assignment, according to Morrisey.
ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œHe focuses on the text of the Constitution and statute, and he has great respect for the rule of law,ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ Morrisey said.
At the news conference, Ewing said this role was a ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œdream come trueÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ as a West Virginia native.
He said he decided to apply for the position because he wanted to bring the perspective of a circuit judge to the Supreme Court of Appeals.
ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œI will bring that experience to the court along with a strong work ethic, a passion for research and writing, a curiosity for the law and a strong commitment to judicial independence,ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ he said.
On Wednesday, one of EwingÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s colleagues celebrated MorriseyÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s choice.
ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œItÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s an excellent appointment,ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ said Craig Kay, partner at Kay, Casto & Chaney. ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œI know him well. HeÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™ll follow the rule of law.ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥
Kay continued: ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œHeÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s a great guy, heÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s a great lawyer. HeÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™ll be a great justice. HeÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s very soft-spoken, low-key, deliberate and careful. The state is very fortunate to have him as our next [Supreme Court] justice.ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥
Other applicants included an assistant attorney general, other attorneys, an Intermediate Court of Appeals judge and the state secretary of Veterans Assistance.
