Published: February 11, 2008 11:49 am      

Cookman files for judge in 22nd circuit

Editor’s note: Donald Cookman submitted this announcement for his candidacy.

ROMNEY, W.Va. — Donald H. Cookman of Romney has announced that he will be a candidate for nomination to the office of judge of the 22nd Judicial Circuit in the Democratic primary to be held May 13.

The 22nd Judicial Circuit is comprised of Hampshire, Hardy and Pendleton counties with courthouses in Franklin, Moorefield and Romney.

Judge Cookman has served as circuit judge since Jan. 1, 1993. During this period, he has been assigned, on numerous occasions, to sit as judge in other circuits as well as temporary assignments as justice of the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals. In addition, he also served as president of the West Virginia Judicial Association and as member and chairman of the Judicial Ethics Commission.

Prior to becoming judge, Cookman was engaged in the private practice of law in Romney beginning in June 1971. He also served as Hampshire County prosecuting attorney for five terms, beginning in January 1973, and served as special prosecuting attorney in Hardy, Pendleton and Mineral counties.

A graduate of Romney High School in 1963 and West Virginia College of Law in 1971, where he received his doctor of jurisprudence degree, Judge Cookman attended undergraduate school at West Virginia University on a football scholarship. While at WVU, he was a three-year letterman, co-captain of the football team, recipient of the Ira Rogers Award during his senior year, an award given to the player who best exemplifies the Mountaineer tradition, played in the first indoor bowl game in the Convention Hall in Atlantic City (1964 Liberty Bowl) and served as a graduate assistant football coach while working on a master’s degree.

A lifelong resident of Hampshire County, Judge Cookman is married to the former Paula Jean Strosnider of Purgitsville, a registered nurse who was employed at the West Virginia Schools for the Deaf and Blind. Don and Paula are the parents of three children, Jane Taylor, Robert Moore and Donald Paul, and they have two grandchildren, Jackson Blue and Samuel Eugene.

In announcing his candidacy for re-election, Judge Cookman stated that he believes that his years of experience as a trial lawyer, prosecuting attorney and judge will assist him in carrying out the responsibilities of judge and hopes that the voters of Pendleton, Hardy and Hampshire counties will consider him favorably in the upcoming election.