Magistrate Joe Mendez
AM Stone | WVOW News
LOGAN West Virginia Magistrates Association elected a new president from Logan County.
Magistrate Joe Mendez was notified Tuesday of his election to President of the West Virginia Magistrates Association that represents all 158 Mountain State magistrates.
Mendez was nominated by Wayne County Magistrate Randy Wiley and seconded by one of Logan’s other magistrates, Dwight Williamson.
Mendez said he was humbled and honored at the opportunity to represent his fellow magistrates.
“I’ve been a part of the association since I was first elected in 2016," Mendez said. "I want to carry on the good work that came before me, but I look forward to taking the state’s magistrate court into the future.”
The association lobbies the state legislature in crafting bills for law and is a liaison of sorts between the state’s county magistrates and the Supreme Court of Appeals.
Mendez thinks the magistrate court can only improve with the continued implementation of modern technology in the courts.
“I think every magistrate could expedite certain functions of the office better with continued use of updated technology.” Mendez said. “A magistrate is always on call. Streamlining the process could be quicker and ensure a due process is speedy and efficient. Modern solutions for modern problems”
Magistrates handle civil cases of less than $10,000, most misdemeanor cases and conduct preliminary arraignments in felony cases.