BECKLEY, W.Va. — Retired Raleigh County Circuit Judge H.L. Kirkpatrick has announced his candidacy for state Supreme Court in the 2026.
Kirkpatrick said he’ll run for the seat that was held by Justice Tim Armstead before his late-August death.
“I think that experience is important for the Supreme Court. I think that would want a circuit judge who has been doing this for a long period of time and who knows the law,” Kirkpatrick told WVVA-TV.
Kirkpatrick retired as circuit judge last year but has remained active on the bench since then. He presided over high-profile Natalie Cochran trial earlier this year.
Gov. Patrick Morrisey appointed Charleston attorney Gerald Titus III to replace Justice. Titus also plans to seek the seat in the May election.
The candidate filing period for the 2026 election cycle begins in mid-January.