offices. As a result of criminal investigations and Impeachment of the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia, there was significant turnover in the makeup of the West Virginia Supreme Court in 2018. First, on July 11, 2018, Menis Ketchum resigned from the court. Ketchum’s resignation was part of a July 31, 2018, plea bargain, where he pled guilty to a single felony count of wire fraud. Although never implicated in any criminal conduct, on August 13, 2018, Robin Davis retired from the court after being impeached. Finally, on November 12, 2018, Allen Loughry resigned after being impeached and convicted of multiple federal felonies. Governor Jim Justice appointed Jenkins (a sitting congressman), and Armstead (the former House of Delegates Speaker) to Ketchum’s and Davis’s former seats on August 25, 2018. Both Jenkins and Armstead filed their candidacies for the November general election, and both were later elected. On December 12, 2018, Justice appointed Hutchison, a lifelong friend and circuit judge in Raleigh County, to the seat vacated by Loughry. Justice made the appointment despite Hutchison being in a different political party from himself, describing Hutchison as "a conservative" and "a respected jurist". The Chief Justiceship is a rotating office, which by tradition changed from one Justice to another each year. In December 2021, it was announced that John A. Hutchison would be chief justice in 2022 and Beth Walker would be chief justice in 2023. The Court sometimes designates "senior-status" (retired) judges or justices to temporarily fill vacancies when required. Other times it will promote a current Circuit Court Judge. By tradition most Circuit Judges are promoted to at least one such case during their careers. For the Fall 2018 Term, the Court appointed Cabell County Circuit Court Judge Paul T. Farrell to sit in the place of Loughry. This was a temporary assignment and did not constitute Ferrell becoming a Justice. In light of Loughry's resignation and Hutchison's appointment, Ferrell returned to duty in Cabell County at the end of the fall 2018 court term. Likewise, the Court appointed Judge Alan Moats, whose circuit is Barbour and Taylor counties, in February of 2022 to serve in Jenkins spot until governor acted on the vacancy. This is a temporary assignment and does not constitute Moats becoming a justice.' Elections 2016 The seat held by Brent Benjamin was contested. This was the first election held on a non-partisan basis, and the