Court Opinion

ID: 9564261
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-21 18:56:53.808696+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T09:18:19.334435
License: Public Domain

McGraw, Justice,

dissenting:

The Constitution of the State of West Virginia is the organic law ratified by the sovereign people of the State. It states in plain words how the government and each of its departments shall be conducted. The Constitution says in Article VI, § 40:
The Legislature shall not confer upon any court, or judge, the power of appointment to of*174fice, further than the same is herein provided for.
No other constitutional provision is made for a judge to appoint a prosecutor be he regular, assistant or special. The statute which allows a judge to appoint a special prosecutor violates this constitutional provision, and so it should fall.
I am also moved to say that when a court avoids the obvious literal meaning of a constitutional provision and speaks of “inherent power,” it has assaulted, or is preparing to assault language, law, or logic, or perhaps all three. Justification through “inherent power” is usually justification without rational basis.
It is the duty of this Court to support the Constitution and to protect it against legislative license.