U.S. District Court for the Northern District of West Virginia
20 judges profiled from their own signed orders: how each rules on motions, with the orders quoted. Court-wide standing orders ↓
Thomas S. Kleeh
District judge, appointed by Donald Trump (Republican)
John Preston Bailey
District judge, appointed by George W. Bush (Republican)
Herbert Stephenson BoremanDeceased
District judge, appointed by Dwight D. Eisenhower (Republican)
Gina M. Groh
District judge, appointed by Barack Obama (Democratic)
Charles Ferguson PaulDeceased
District judge, appointed by Dwight D. Eisenhower (Republican)
Harry Evans WatkinsDeceased
District judge, appointed by Franklin D. Roosevelt (Democratic)
William Eli BakerDeceased
District judge, appointed by Warren G. Harding (Republican)
Irene M. KeeleyNo longer serving
District judge, appointed by George H. W. Bush (Republican)
Frederick Pfarr Stamp Jr.No longer serving
District judge, appointed by George H. W. Bush (Republican)
John S. KaullLeft this court 2015
Magistrate judge
Alston Gordon DaytonDeceased
District judge, appointed by Theodore Roosevelt (Republican)
John Jay Jackson Jr.Deceased
District judge, appointed by Abraham Lincoln (Republican)
Michael John Aloi
Magistrate judge
James P. Mazzone
Magistrate judge
Robert W. Trumble
Magistrate judge
Sidney Lee ChristieDeceased
District judge, appointed by Lyndon B. Johnson (Democratic)
Charles Harold Haden IIDeceased
District judge, appointed by Gerald Ford (Republican)
Willard Craig BroadwaterDeceased
District judge, appointed by Bill Clinton (Democratic)
William Matthew KiddDeceased
District judge, appointed by Jimmy Carter (Democratic)
Robert Earl MaxwellDeceased
District judge, appointed by Lyndon B. Johnson (Democratic)
Standing orders for every case in this court
Orders the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of West Virginia applies to all of its cases, whichever judge has them, as published on the court's website (checked October 9, 2026). Courts revise these, so confirm the current version before you file. The court's local rules ↗
- Standing Order on AI Tools and Criminal Discovery ↗
- Standing Order on Filing Sealed and Restricted Documents ↗
- Standing Order on Highly Sensitive Documents ↗
Sealing
File sealed documents electronically in CM/ECF under the restored procedures.
“Sealed documents should once again be filed electronically in CM/ECF under the E-filing procedures in place prior to August 14,2025, as amended by any future updates to those procedures.”
Sealing
Serve sealed documents by an appropriate method outside CM/ECF after filing them.
“After filing sealed documents on CM/ECF, parties will have to serve the sealed documents by other appropriate means as provided by the Federal”
Sealing
For a proposed highly sensitive document, attach a blank placeholder rather than filing the document electronically with the designation motion.
“a copy of the proposed HSD shall not be filed electronically. Instead, a blank HSD placeholder document shall be attached to the Motion in place of the proposed HSD to reserve a docket number. The motion shall explain why the proposed document should be sealed”
Sealing
After moving to designate a document as highly sensitive, deliver two paper copies and a certificate of service to the clerk’s drop box.
“As soon as practicable after the motion is filed electronically, the filing party shall deliver to the Clerk’s Office, by deposit in the Clerk’s drop box, two (2) paper copies of the HSD sought to be filed along with a certificate of service.”
Other
Defense counsel seeking to process sensitive criminal discovery with an AI tool must request written authorization from the government.
“To obtain authorization for the otherwise prohibited use of an AI tool, defense counsel must submit a written request to the government.”