New 26th Circuit Judge to be sworn in

The 26th Judicial Circuit in Lewis and Upshur Counties will soon have a new judge.

Jake Reger will be sworn in by Senior Status Judge Thomas Keadle to his new position during a ceremony Monday morning in the circuit courtroom of the Upshur County Courthouse.

Reger won his bid on November 4 as a Republican candidate, defeating Democrat Kurt Hall to fill the unexpired term of Judge Keadle.

Hall was appointed by Governor Tomblin on August 9, 2013 to the position after Keadle retired January 31, 2013.

Reger has been serving as Upshur County’s prosecutor since 2005.

He served as assistant to then-Governor Arch Moore from 1985-86 and as director of the state’s employment training division from 1986-89.

He began his law career with Rexroad & Rexroad after he became an attorney in 1992, was an assistant prosecutor in Upshur County from 1993 – 98, during which time he also had a part-time general practice through Coleman & Wallace in Buckhannon, was director of a fraud investigation unit for the West Virginia Bureau of Employment Programs from 1998 – 2002 and
previously had his own law practice in Buckhannon from 2002 – 05.

The ceremony is open to the public with a reception will follow, while another public reception will be held in the circuit court courtroom of the Lewis County Judicial Annex at 1:30 p.m. on Monday.