Joanna I. Tabit
Joanna I. Tabit was a judge of the Thirteenth Judicial Circuit in West Virginia. She assumed office in 2014. She passed away on September 29, 2023.
Tabit was appointed to the Thirteenth Judicial Circuit in West Virginia by Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin (D) on October 2, 2014, to replace retired Judge Paul Zakaib, Jr.[1] Tabit won re-election in the general election on May 10, 2016.[2]
Biography
Tabit earned her undergraduate degree at Marshall University and her J.D. from the West Virginia University College of Law.[1]
Prior to joining the court in 2014, Tabit was an attorney at the law firm of Steptoe & Johnson.[3]
Elections
2020
See also: West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals elections, 2020
General election
General election for Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia
William Wooton defeated Joanna I. Tabit, Kris Raynes, and Jim Douglas in the general election for Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia on June 9, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | William Wooton (Nonpartisan) | 30.8 | 117,927 |
 | Joanna I. Tabit (Nonpartisan) | 29.6 | 113,116 | |
 | Kris Raynes (Nonpartisan)  | 19.9 | 76,191 | |
 | Jim Douglas (Nonpartisan) | 19.7 | 75,247 | |
| Total votes: 382,481 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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2018
General election
Special general election for Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia
The following candidates ran in the special general election for Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia on November 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Tim Armstead (Nonpartisan) | 26.1 | 131,296 |
| Joanna I. Tabit (Nonpartisan) | 22.2 | 111,915 | |
 | Chris Wilkes (Nonpartisan) | 13.1 | 66,037 | |
 | Mark Hunt (Nonpartisan) | 12.0 | 60,705 | |
 | Ronald Hatfield Jr. (Nonpartisan) | 7.8 | 39,155 | |
 | Jeff Woods (Nonpartisan) | 4.8 | 24,378 | |
| Hiram Lewis IV (Nonpartisan) | 4.0 | 20,303 | |
| Harry Bruner Jr. (Nonpartisan) | 3.6 | 17,994 | |
| Robert Carlton (Nonpartisan) | 3.6 | 17,964 | |
| D.C. Offutt Jr. (Nonpartisan) | 2.8 | 14,193 | |
| Total votes: 503,940 (100.00% precincts reporting) | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
2016
West Virginia held general elections for county judicial offices on May 10, 2016. This date coincided with partisan primaries for statewide and federal offices. The 2016 election was the first nonpartisan election for the state's judicial seats since statehood in 1863. Learn more about this change here. Candidates interested in filing for the election submitted paperwork by January 30, 2016. Incumbent Joanna Tabit ran unopposed in the general election for the West Virginia Judicial Circuit 13, Division 2 seat.[2]
| West Virginia Judicial Circuit 13, Division 2 General Election, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
 Joanna Tabit Incumbent (unopposed) |
99.47% | 31,381 |
| Write-in votes | 0.53% | 166 |
| Total Votes | 31,547 | |
| Source: West Virginia Secretary of State, "Election Results Center," accessed May 10, 2016 | ||
Selection method
- See also: Nonpartisan election of judges
The judges of the West Virginia Circuit Court are elected in nonpartisan elections to serve eight-year terms. Judges must run for re-election when their terms expire.[4]
The chief judge of each circuit court is selected by peer vote. Term lengths vary by circuit.[4]
Qualifications
To serve on a West Virginia Circuit Court, a judge must be:[4]
- a citizen of West Virginia for at least five years;
- a resident of his or her circuit;
- at least 30 years old; and
- practiced in law for at least five years.
Campaign themes
2020
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Joanna I. Tabit did not complete Ballotpedia's 2020 Candidate Connection survey.
See also
2020 Elections
- Thirteenth Judicial Circuit, West Virginia
- Courts in West Virginia
- Judicial selection in West Virginia
- Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia
- West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals special elections, 2018
External links
- Search Google News for this topic
- Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia
- West Virginia Judiciary, "Kanawha County Court Information"
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 WSAZ, "W.VA. Gov. Appoints New Judge in Kanawha County," October 2, 2014
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 West Virginia Secretary of State, "Candidate Search," accessed February 16, 2016
- ↑ Steptoe & Johnson, "Joanna I. Tabit," accessed October 3, 2014
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 American Judicature Society, "Methods of Judicial Selection: West Virginia," archived October 3, 2014
Federal courts:
Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: Northern District of West Virginia, Southern District of West Virginia • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: Northern District of West Virginia, Southern District of West Virginia
State courts:
Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia • West Virginia Intermediate Court of Appeals • West Virginia Circuit Courts • West Virginia Family Courts • West Virginia Magistrate Courts • West Virginia Municipal Courts
State resources:
Courts in West Virginia • West Virginia judicial elections • Judicial selection in West Virginia
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