Two long-time circuit judges are retiring this month, and one will be sworn in as a West Virginia Senator.
Twenty-Second Judicial Circuit Judge Donald H. Cookman will be sworn in as a Senator on Thursday in the Senate Chamber at 2 p.m.
Judge Cookman will be sworn in by his brother-in-law Twenty-Sixth Judicial Circuit Judge Thomas H. Keadle, who is retiring Thursday.
Cookman retired January 23, the same day Governor Earl Ray Tomblin appointed him to a seat in the Fifteenth Senatorial District.
Cookman fills the seat vacated by Senator Walt Helmick, who was elected West Virginia Agriculture Commissioner in the Nov. 6 general election.
Cookman has been a Circuit Judge since 1993 and an attorney since 1971. During his years as a circuit judge, he served as a special judge in other counties on numerous occasions and several times was called to sit on the Supreme Court when a Justice was recused.
Cookman was also recently appointed to be one of four judges on the new statewide Business Court by the Supreme Court.
He is a graduate of Romney High School, West Virginia University, and West Virginia University College of Law.
Judge Keadle has been a judge since 1985 and an attorney since 1974. He practiced law in Romney and Buckhannon before being elected to the bench in 1984.
He also served four years in the Marine Corps followed by eight years as a state trooper in Romney and Buckhannon before enrolling in college.
Judge Keadle is a graduate of Alderson High School, West Virginia University, and West Virginia University College of Law.
A reception will be held in the Capitol Rotundra following the ceremony in the Senate Chamber.