FAYETTE COUNTY, W.Va. – Attorney and Fayette County Delegate Tom Fast was sworn in Friday as the county’s newest circuit court judge.
Judge Fast is replacing Judge Paul Blake who is retiring after 19 years on the bench. Judge fast was sworn in by Raleigh County Circuit Court Judge H.L. Kirkpatrick.
“I can honestly say that he is an honorable and decent man. He has been an excellent attorney and he will be an exemplary judge. He will be a judge that Fayette County will be proud at,” said Kirkpatrick.
Judge Fast received a warm welcome to the circuit court from those in attendance. Fast has spent ten years as a state delegate and says he’s practiced law for 31 years.
During his time as a delegate, Fast was on a number of panels including the jails and prisons committee, and serving as chair on the house judiciary committee.
He acknowledges he still doesn’t know everything but looks forward to learning and honoring his new job.
“As the scriptures say with the lord there’s no impartiality or favoritism and that’s what I want to be as a judge. To be impartial, to be unbiased and to do my best to be fair to whomever is before me,” said Fast.
Fast made sure to thank friends, colleagues and family for their support. His term begin on Jan. 1 and will last for eight years.
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