Starcher to Hold Public Hearing for Recusal Bid

Massey Energy Co. will get a change to argue in open court for Justice Larry Starcher's recusal from a pending appeal.

"Richmond, Va.-based Massey unsuccessfully sought to disqualify Starcher before appealing a $240 million judgment awarded to Wheeling-Pittsburgh Steel and Mountain State Carbon," The Associated Press explains. "Massey is trying again and Starcher said Thursday he’ll hear arguments on the request April 10."

The article also notes that "West Virginia’s Supreme Court has been buffeted by disqualification requests involving Massey Energy cases since photos surfaced of Chief Justice Elliott ‘‘Spike’’ Maynard with Massey Chief Executive Don Blankenship vacationing in Monaco while the company had appeals pending. Maynard has since stepped aside from at least three Massey cases, including the Harman appeal."

The MonacoGate scandal helped fuel a Saturday op-ed in The Wall Street Journal.

On a related note, John Grisham's The Appeal has fallen to #2 on The New York Times' bestseller list for hardcover fiction.