CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The state Supreme Court suspended Randolph County Circuit Judge Jaymie Wilfong for the rest of her term without pay in an order handed down Thursday afternoon.
MORE: Read Supreme Court’s decision on Wilfong.
In an opinion authored by Justice Menis Ketchum, the court found Wilfong violated the code of conduct for judges 11 times in connection with a 26-month affair she had with Travis Carter, who was at the time director of the North Central Community Corrections program.
Justice censured Wilfong on each of the 11 violations, suspended her through Dec. 31, 2016, and ordered her to pay all costs with the investigation and prosecution of the case.
During arguments before the Supreme Court on Oct. 21, Wilfong’s attorney Harry Deitzler claimed the judge was seduced and should only be suspended for 60 days.
“I don’t think at the time she was involved in the affair she knew the perception of public would be impacted,” Deitzler said.
Ketchum wrote Wilfong’s conduct “seriously demeaned her office, impaired the integrity of the judiciary and substantially undermined public confidence in the administration of justice in Randolph County.”
Judicial ethics prohibit Wilfong from taking another job while she is suspended as a circuit judge, though she could resign. The Supreme Court reduced the hearing board’s proposed $20,000 fine, instead requiring Wilfong to pay $8,000 in prosecution costs.
“Justice must be mixed with a little mercy,” Ketchum wrote.
Wilfong and Carter had sex in the judge’s office at the Randolph County Courthouse and Wilfong asked two other attorneys for their assistance so she could keep the relationship going.