(Morgantown, W.Va.) In July 2020, when Ron Bane started serving his term early as Monongalia County’s Division 1 magistrate judge, Tim Pocius – then Division 2 magistrate – was one of the first people to welcome Bane to the court. Bane is glad to have Pocius back as magistrate judge.
On Tues., March 7, Pocius was named to fill the unexpired term of former magistrate, Todd Gaujot. According to the court’s administrative order, Pocius is scheduled to start Mon., March 27. In the interim, the Hon. Darris Summers, senior magistrate, was appointed to preside over Monongalia County’s Division 2, a seat which he held until his 2019 retirement, when Pocius was initially appointed to the court.
“Tim Pocius was great to work with previously. He took time to orient me to court operations, of which I’m appreciative. It’s great to have a judge who’s already familiar with our local court. Pocius will be able to take up the existing caseload without delay and serve Monongalia County as magistrate,” Bane said.
Pocius continued serving the court after his last term ended by returning to work as a bailiff, a position he previously held prior to being appointed as a magistrate judge.
Bane went further to say, “By 2024, Monongalia County can expect to see two more magistrate judges added, creating six local divisions. Our community needs more good people who are willing to commit to upholding the law and serving justice in a fair and impartial manner.”
“There’s a saying that, ‘many hands make for light work’, but for all intents and purposes, more judges will mean longer stints between breaks, “ Bane suggested. “Instead of working two full weeks before a week on call and then a short week, as is the current rotation schedule, it will mean working four full-time weeks before that occurs. So, anyone who would want to serve, should be aware how changes will affect scheduling,” he noted.
More magistrates in Monongalia County allows for more time between cases and to hear testimony during cases, as well as to reschedule cases in shorter amounts of time. Bane added, “Magistrates must be amenable to the needs of the public and our court, and just know it’s not a normal nine-to-five workload. There’s a rhythm to operations but each day is different.”
