Judge of the year award goes to Arthur Recht

WHEELING - First Judicial Circuit Judge Arthur Recht has been named Judge of the Year by the West Virginia Association for Justice.

Recht, who was nominated for the honor by Wheeling attorney James M. Bordas Jr., accepted the award during a WVAJ regional meeting in Wheeling last week.

"Many other judges in the state are worthy of this award, and I am honored to receive it," Recht said while accepting the award.

Recht told the group a secret to being a good judge is not caring which side wins or loses a case but, rather, that the case in handled to the best of the judge's ability and in the quickest fashion possible.

"Another important thing is that you have fun," Recht said.

"Judge Recht is a dedicated jurist who gave up a lucrative private practice to serve the people of West Virginia," Bordas said. "In his career, he has accepted the toughest assignments, the most challenging work and he excelled in those tasks."

Bordas said Recht's selection by the awards committee was unanimous and without debate.

"He is a judges' judge," Bordas said. "And I know I speak for all lawyers when I say I always look forward to practicing in front of him. He serves the court with integrity, wisdom, patience and a strong work ethic."

WVAJ President Allan N. Karlin of Morgantown said, "As both a circuit judge and as a justice for the West Virginia Supreme Court, Arthur Recht has been a jurist for all seasons. We honor him today for the wisdom of his decisions and the respect he has earned from litigants and attorneys alike."

Recht, who has served as judge in the state's 1st Judicial Circuit since 1966, was appointed in 1995 to the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals by Gov. Gaston Caperton to fill an unexpired term.

He served as a member of the governor's Committee on Selection of Judicial Candidates from Circuit Court from 1990-95, chairman of the State Bar's Committee on Legal Ethics from 1985-91 and president of the state Judicial Association from 2002-03.

WVAJ represents more than 500 attorneys throughout the Mountain State.