CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The West Virginia Senate on Monday postponed the impeachment trial of a state Supreme Court justice after a judge who was to preside over the trial did not show up.
The trial of Justice Margaret Workman was to begin Monday, but Acting Chief Justice Paul Farrell was absent. Farrell said previously that Thursday’s ruling by a group of judicial stand-ins blocking the Senate trial prevented him from participating. The state constitution requires a presiding officer’s presence for the trial.
Given that and some lingering questions, the Senate voted 29-1 to adjourn.
Workman won a reprieve last week when the acting Supreme Court justices ruled her trial would violate the state constitution’s separation of powers clause. The acting justices also noted the justices’ due process was violated when the state House of Delegates did not follow through on its earlier mandate to approve an overall impeachment resolution.
Senate Judiciary Chairman Charles Trump, a Republican from Morgan County, suggested Monday the court should reconsider the House portion of its opinion and that House leaders should answer to the court, not the Senate.