American judge
Robin Jean Davis (born April 6, 1956) is an American jurist who served on the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia. First elected to fill an unexpired term in 1996, Davis later won full twelve-year terms in 2000 and 2012. However, Davis retired before the end of her second full term in August 2018 after the West Virginia House Judiciary Committee named Davis in articles of impeachment during the Impeachment of the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia.
Early life.
Davis was born in Boone County, West Virginia. She received a bachelor's degree from West Virginia Wesleyan College in 1978, and master's and law degrees from West Virginia University in 1982.
Career.
From 1982 until 1996, Davis practiced law in West Virginia, concentrating on employee benefits and domestic relations. In 1996 she was elected to fill an unexpired term, and was re-elected to a full twelve-year term in 2000 and 2012; becoming the first woman re-elected to statewide office in West Virginia. Davis served one year terms as chief justice in 1998, 2002, 2006, 2007, 2010 and 2014.
Impeachment and retirement.
Following a series of controversies involving excessive spending, the West Virginia House Judiciary Committee voted to recommend impeachment for Davis and three other justices on August 7, 2018 "for maladministration, corruption, incompetency, neglect of duty, and certain high crimes and misdemeanors".
After the articles of impeachment were approved by the full House of Delegates, Justice Davis announced her retirement from the Court, effective August 13, 2018. The timing allowed her seat to be filled through a special election rather than enabling Governor Jim Justice to appoint her successor in the event the West Virginia Senate removed her from office.
Despite her retirement, the West Virginia Senate refused to dismiss the articles of impeachment against Justice Davis due to questions about her standing as a senior status judge as well as her eligibility to receive judicial retirement benefits. The Senate scheduled her impeachment trial for October 2018.
Media attention.
Davis is featured in Laurence Leamer's 2013 non-fiction book, "The Price of Justice: A True Story of Greed and Corruption in Coal Country." In December 2014, ABC News reported on controversies surrounding Robin Davis: her ties to attorney Michael Fuller, who helped her raise $37,000 for her campaign; and the sale of a Lear Jet by her husband Scott Segal. The investigation raises questions about conflicts of interest and ethical decisions made by the then-Chief Justice.
Private life.
Davis is married to Scott Segal. They have one son, Oliver.
Elections.
Fall 2012: Davis and Chafin faced Republicans Allen Loughry, a law clerk for Democratic Supreme Court Justice Margaret Workman, and Jefferson County Circuit Judge John Yoder in the November general election. Loughry and Yoder were unopposed for the Republican nomination as they were the only two Republican candidates in the primary. Yoder was also the unsuccessful Republican nominee against Davis in 2000. Despite coinciding with the fourth consecutive presidential election where the Republican candidate won statewide, Davis came in first place in the November general election to secure re-election to a second full term in office. Davis was re-elected alongside Loughry, who was elected to his first term in office. Although Davis' re-election ensured the Court maintained its longstanding Democratic majority, with the election of Loughry, the Court had two elected Republicans for the first time since 1940.