CHARLESTON — The West Virginia Supreme Court will enter 2026 with new leadership as Justice Haley Bunn takes over as chief justice for an extended 18-month term beginning Jan. 1, a move tied to a change in how the court rotates its top post.
The justices voted earlier this year to shift the chief justice rotation from a calendar-year system to one based on the state’s fiscal year, which runs from July 1 through June 30. To bridge that transition, Bunn will serve through June 30, 2027. Starting that year, the court will name a new chief justice every July 1.
Bunn said she is grateful for the confidence placed in her by her colleagues.
“I am honored to have been entrusted by my colleagues to serve as chief justice and lead the judicial branch over the next year and a half,” she said in a court announcement.
West Virginia is unusual in that it rotates the chief justice position annually among members of the Supreme Court. Court leaders said aligning the rotation with the fiscal year will better coordinate administrative planning and budgeting.
The upcoming term will be Bunn’s first as chief justice. She joined the court by appointment in 2022 and was later elected to a full 12-year term that began Jan. 1, 2025. Justice Charles Trump will step in as acting chief justice whenever Bunn is unavailable.
Bunn replaces Chief Justice Bill Wooton, who wraps up his first stint in the leadership role at the end of December.
“I applaud Chief Justice Wooton for his steady leadership over the past year as we navigated significant changes across the judiciary,” Bunn said. She added that she hopes to continue efforts to expand public access to the courts and improve public understanding of how the judicial system works.
Wooton described his year as chief justice as one marked by significant upheaval, driven in part by a legislatively required judicial realignment and unexpected turnover on the court.
Justice Beth Walker, who began serving on the Supreme Court in 2017, retired June 27. Former Fayette County Circuit Judge Thomas Ewing was appointed to succeed her. In August, Justice Tim Armstead passed away. Charleston attorney Gerald Titus III was later appointed by Gov. Patrick Morrisey (R) to fill that vacancy.
“Despite all of the change, the judicial branch continued to function smoothly,” Wooton said. “That speaks to the professionalism and dedication of the people working throughout our court system. It has been an honor to serve as chief justice, and I am confident Justice Bunn will continue the court’s commitment to fairness, transparency and accessibility for the people of West Virginia.”
Two seats on the high court are scheduled to be decided by voters in statewide elections this spring.
