in 1996, he was elected to a 12-year term as a justice of the supreme court of appeals of west virginia. maynard served as an associate justice until 2000, when he became the chief justice for a one-year term. in 2001 maynard returned to associate justice status. the five justices of the supreme court of appeals of west virginia rotate, with limited exceptions, the role of chief justice on a one-year term basis.