Thomas Edward McHugh (March 26, 1936 – January 14, 2025) was an American jurist who served on the

Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia The Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia is the state supreme court of the state of West Virginia, the highest of West Virginia's State court (United States), state courts. The court sits primarily at the West Virginia State Capitol in Char ...

. In 1980 and 1992, McHugh was elected as a Democrat to full, twelve-year terms on the Court. He however retired on December 31, 1997, with 7 years remaining on his term, and resumed the practice of law in Charleston. On September 10, 2008, then-Chief Justice Eliot E. "Spike" Maynard named McHugh to temporarily replace Justice Joseph P. Albright. Justice Albright had taken medical leave after being diagnosed with esophageal cancer. Justice Albright died on March 20, 2009. On April 8, 2009, then Governor

Joe Manchin Joseph Manchin III ( ; born August 24, 1947) is an American businessman and retired politician who served as a United States senator from West Virginia from 2010 to 2025. He was West Virginia's only congressional Democrat until he registered as ...

appointed Justice McHugh to Justice Albright's vacant seat. Under Article 8, Section 2 of the

West Virginia Constitution The Constitution of the State of West Virginia West Virginia State Constitution is the supreme law of the U.S. state of West Virginia. It expresses the rights of the state's citizens and provides the framework for the organization of law and gover ...

, McHugh's appointment was limited until the next, regular election (2010), which McHugh won. He pledged to not run for the full term in 2012 and left the court in January 2013. McHugh died on January 14, 2025, at the age of 88.

References

1936 births 2025 deaths Chief justices of the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia Justices of the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia West Virginia lawyers {{WestVirginia-state-judge-stub