History: United States Attorney's Office - Southern District of West Virginia
As the development of the national bank began to increase in the late 18th century, it soon became apparent that a federal system of courts would be needed to take care of cases beyond the jurisdiction of the states. Cases involving crimes at sea, counterfeiting, and fraud needed to be prosecuted. Therefore, the framers of the Constitution included a directive in Article III requiring a system of federal courts to be established just below the United States Supreme Court to deal with such cases. Consequently, Congress enacted the Judiciary Act of 1789 which directed the President to appoint in each federal district “a meet person learned in the law to act as an attorney for the United States.” This United States Attorney was “to prosecute in [each] district all delinquents for crimes and offenses cognizable under the authority of the United States, and all civil actions in which the United States shall be concerned.” Within days, President George Washington appointed thirteen distinguished people to fill the offices of United States Attorneys in the newly created federal districts. Among the first appointed included John Marshall, Christopher Gore, and Richard Harrison. The tradition of appointing those committed to honor, courage, and justice continues to the present day.
Since 1870, the United States Attorneys have worked under the direction of the United States Department of Justice and the Attorney General. In 1953, the Executive Office for United States Attorneys was created. This was established to “provide general executive assistance and supervision to the offices of the United States Attorneys.” Currently, ninety-four federal districts exist with ninety-three United States Attorneys serving in those districts representing the government and protecting the interest of the United States and its citizens.
The judicial district of West Virginia was created in 1876, while the creation of the northern and southern districts occurred in 1901. George W. Atkinson served as the first United States Attorney for the Southern District of West Virginia. Below is a list of all United States Attorneys for the Southern District of West Virginia, and the years they served.
|
United States Attorney |
County |
From |
To |
Appointed by |
|
George W. Atkinson |
Kanawha |
August 1901 |
April 1905 |
President Roosevelt |
|
Eliott Northcott |
Cabell |
April 1905 |
April 1909 |
President Roosevelt |
|
Harold A. Ritz |
Mercer |
May 1909 |
August 1913 |
President Taft |
|
William G. Barnhart |
Kanawha |
August 1913 |
June 1917 |
President Wilson |
|
F. Witcher McCullough |
Kanawha |
June 1917 |
October 1917 |
District Court |
|
Leonidas H. Kelly |
Braxton |
October 1917 |
January 1922 |
President Wilson |
|
Elliott Northcott |
Cabell |
February 1922 |
April 1927 |
President Harding |
|
Bernard J. Pettigrew |
Kanawha |
April 1927 |
January 1928 |
District Court |
|
James Damron |
Mingo |
January 1928 |
June 1932 |
President Coolidge |
|
David D. Ashworth |
Raleigh |
June 1932 |
November 1933 |
President Hoover |
|
George I. Neal |
Cabell |
November 1933 |
October 1938 |
President Roosevelt |
|
Lemuel R. Via |
Cabell |
October 1938 |
October 1943 |
President Roosevelt |
|
Leslie E. Given |
Kanawha |
October 1943 |
January 1950 |
President Roosevelt |
|
A. Garnett Thompson |
Kanawha |
January 1950 |
December 1953 |
President Truman |
|
Duncan W. Daugherty |
Cabell |
December 1953 |
October 1961 |
President Eisenhower |
|
Harry G. Camper, Jr. |
McDowell |
November 1961 |
Janaury 1964 |
President Kennedy |
|
Carl W. Belcher |
Washington DC |
February 1964 |
August 1964 |
Attorney General |
|
Donald P. Moore |
Washington DC |
August 1964 |
December 1964 |
Attorney General |
|
George D. Beter |
Cabell |
December 1964 |
July 1965 |
Attorney General |
|
Milton J. Ferguson |
Wayne |
July 1965 |
July 1969 |
President Johnson |
|
Wade H. Ballard, III |
Monroe |
July 1969 |
February 1970 |
President Nixon |
|
W. Warren Upton (Acting) |
Kanawha |
February 1970 |
March 1972 |
District Court |
|
John A. Field, III |
Kanawha |
March 1972 |
August 1977 |
President Nixon |
|
Robert B. King |
Greenbrier |
August 1977 |
February 1981 |
President Carter |
|
Wayne A. Rich, Jr. (Interim) |
Kanawha |
February 1981 |
January 1982 |
District Court |
|
David A. Faber |
Kanawha |
January 1982 |
November 1986 |
President Reagan |
|
Wayne A. Rich, Jr. (Interim) |
Kanawha |
November 1986 |
December 1986 |
District Court |
|
Michael W. Carey (Interim) |
Kanawha |
December 1986 |
April 1987 |
Attorney General |
|
Charlotte Lane (Interim) |
Kanawha |
April 1987 |
May 1987 |
District Court |
|
Michael W. Carey |
Kanawha |
May 1987 |
September 1993 |
President Reagan |
|
Charles T. Miller (Acting) |
Kanawha |
September 1991 |
September 1992 |
(Carey on Detail to DAG's Office) |
|
Charles T. Miller (Interim) |
Kanawha |
September 1993 |
January 1994 |
AG Reno |
|
Rebecca A. Betts* |
Kanawha |
January 1994 |
April 2001 |
President Clinton |
|
Charles T. Miller (Interim) |
Kanawha |
April 2001 |
November 2001 |
AG Ashcroft |
|
Kasey Warner |
Kanawha |
November 2001 |
July 2005 |
President Bush |
|
Charles T. Miller (Acting) |
Kanawha |
July 2005 |
February 2006 |
Vacancies Reform Act |
|
Charles T. Miller (Interim) |
Kanawha |
February 2006 |
Present |
AG Gonzales |
* First presidentially appointed female U.S. Attorney in the Southern District of West Virginia.
Since its inception, the United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of West Virginia has successfully prosecuted and convicted a variety of high-profile cases including public corruption, drug conspiracies, criminal enterprises, voting/election fraud, and briberies. Through the prosecution of cases such as these and other numerous cases, the United States Attorney continues to ensure justice in the Southern District of West Virginia.