Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin today announced the appointment of two community leaders to the bench in the 22nd and 26th Judicial Circuits. Both appointments are effective immediately.
22nd Judicial Circuit Appointment
Gov. Tomblin appointed Romney attorney H. Charles “Charlie” Carl, III as Circuit Judge for the 22nd Judicial Circuit serving Hampshire, Hardy and Pendleton counties. Carl will fill the vacancy created when Gov. Tomblin appointed then-Judge Donald Cookman to serve as State Senator for the 15th Senatorial District.
“Charlie has a wealth of legal experience as a result of his years working and managing the small Romney firm his grandfather started many years ago,” said Gov. Tomblin.  “With his general practitioner and community leadership skills, I believe Charlie will continue to serve the people well in his new capacity as Circuit Judge.”
Carl began his legal practice in 1987 when he joined his grandfather and, together, practiced law as Ansel and Carl. Since then the firm has grown, practicing both civil and criminal litigation, and is now known as Carl, Keaton, Frazer and Milleson, PLLC.
A graduate of the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown and Capital University Law School, Carl has served as General Counsel for the Bank of Romney and is the Former Director of The Potomac Center, Inc., a non-profit mental health residential facility located in Romney. Carl is active in the community serving as a member of the Romney Rotary Club, president of the South Branch Valley Bar, and director of the Bank of Romney. He has also served the community as a youth basketball coach.
Carl is married to Lisa Heishman Carl. The couple has three children and resides in Romney.
26th Judicial Circuit Appointment
Gov. Tomblin also appointed Harrison County Assistant Prosecutor Kurt W. Hall as Circuit Judge for the 26th Judicial Circuit serving Lewis and Upshur counties. Hall will fill the vacancy created by the retirement of Thomas Keadle.
“Kurt has an established history of working for the people of West Virginia as a public defender and, more recently, as an Assistant Prosecuting Attorney. He will work hard for the people of Lewis and Upshur counties in this new role,” said Gov. Tomblin.
Hall received a bachelor of science in Mining Engineering Technology from Fairmont State University in 1990 and worked as a Project Engineer/Certified Mine Foreman’s Assistant before earning his Doctorate of Jurisprudence in 1995 from West Virginia University School of Law. Following law school, Hall worked as a law clerk in an Elkins law firm. He later served as a Public Defender in the 2nd Judicial Circuit and then as Randolph County Assistant Prosecuting Attorney. For the past eleven years, he served as an Assistant Prosecuting Attorney in Harrison County. He is a member of the State Bar, as well as other community organizations including the Lewis County Democratic Executive Committee and the Lewis County Senior Center Board of Directors.
Hall resides in Jane Lew with his wife, Liz. The couple has three children.
