--- title: "David M. Hammer | KnowJudges" canonical: "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/david-m-hammer-wv-circuit-jefferson" page_type: "judge_profile" updated: "2026-10-07" --- # David M. Hammer West Virginia Circuit Court, Jefferson County · Circuit Judge ## Profile - Court: West Virginia Circuit Court, Jefferson County - State: West Virginia - Role: Circuit Judge - Service status: active - Last verified: 2026-07-27 ## Summary Official statewide and applicable court procedural guidance applies to this judge. ## Biography ### Professional career - Chief Judge, Twenty‐Eighth Judicial Circuit (Jefferson County) — elected May 2024 to a term through May 2032 - Previously Supervising Judge of Jefferson County until January 1, 2025 - He supervised Jefferson County until January 1, 2025, when he became chief judge of the new Twenty-Eighth Judicial Circuit - Legal Practice: Partner at Hammer, Ferretti & Schiavoni (1992–2018) - Earlier career experience includes co-founded Hammer, Ferretti & Schiavoni in 1992 and practiced there until election to the bench in 2018; practice focused primarily on employment law, wage and hour law, and municipal law ### Education - College of William & Mary, Marshall-Wythe School of Law in — J.D. (1988) - Bachelor's degree from Temple University in 1985 - Temple University — B.A. (1985) ### Additional information - Re-elected in May 2024. - Judicial Service: Elected to the bench in 2018 to fill a vacancy; re‐elected in 2024. - David M. Hammer was elected in May 2018 to fill an unexpired judicial term and reelected in May 2024. - Elected in May 2018 to fill an unexpired circuit-court term. - He cofounded Hammer, Ferretti & Schiavoni in 1992 and practiced there until his 2018 election, concentrating on employment, wage-and-hour and municipal law. - focusing on employment law, wage and hour, and municipal law. - Public Service: President, West Virginia Employment Lawyers - Co‐drafted the West Virginia Voluntary Farmland Protection Act; served on the West Virginia Agricultural Land Protection Authority. - Current statutory representative on the West Virginia Investment Management Board. - Has sat by temporary assignment on the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia. - handling complex business disputes statewide. - Supervises the Jefferson County Adult Treatment Court, meeting weekly with participants to address substance use disorders and recovery. - Has been temporarily assigned to the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals when justices recuse themselves. - He has been president and amicus committee chair of West Virginia Employment Lawyers and the West Virginia Association of Justice. - He has presented legal symposia on employment, class-action and evidentiary topics. - Judge Hammer and his wife, Effie, reside in Shepherdstown, West Virginia, and have three children. - Judge David M. Hammer is the Chief Judge of West Virginia’s new Twenty‐Eighth Judicial Circuit (Jefferson County) and a member of the West Virginia Business Court, with a career in law, judicial service, and public policy leadership. - He serves on the West Virginia Business Court, supervises Jefferson County Adult Treatment Court and has sat temporarily on the Supreme Court of Appeals. - He codrafted the Voluntary Farmland Protection Act, served on the Agricultural Land Protection Authority by Governor Tomblin’s appointment and serves as a statutory representative on the Investment Management Board. - Former president of the West Virginia Employment Lawyers Association. - Co-drafter of the West Virginia Voluntary Farmland Protection Act. ## Before you appear - Read the judge-specific standing order first when one is listed. - Check the docket and case orders for requirements that supersede broader guidance. - Confirm current remote-access and courtroom technology arrangements before the proceeding. ## Courtroom Rules ### camera and audio equipment Scope: statewide West Virginia Trial Court Rule 8 makes courtroom camera and audio equipment subject to the presiding circuit judge's or magistrate's permission. Evidence excerpt: Cameras and audio equipment may be permitted in and around the courtrooms at the discretion of each presiding circuit judge or magistrate. [West Virginia Trial Court Rules, Rule 8: Media Coverage of Court Proceedings](https://www.courtswv.gov/legal-community/court-rules/wv-trial-court-rules-contents) Source checked: 2026-07-27 ### advance media request timing Scope: statewide West Virginia Trial Court Rule 8 directs the presiding officer to decide requests for camera or audio coverage made at least one day before the proceeding, and lack of advance approval may preclude use. Evidence excerpt: Requests made by a party or any other person at least one day in advance of the proceedings. [West Virginia Trial Court Rules, Rule 8: Media Coverage of Court Proceedings](https://www.courtswv.gov/legal-community/court-rules/wv-trial-court-rules-contents) Source checked: 2026-07-27 ## Sources - [Official profile](https://www.courtswv.gov/public-resources/court-information-county/circuit-judges/davidHammer) - [Official roster](https://www.courtswv.gov/public-resources/court-information-county/circuit-judges/davidHammer) - [West Virginia Judiciary official judicial roster](https://www.courtswv.gov/public-resources/court-information-county/circuit-judges/davidHammer) - [West Virginia Trial Court Rules, Rule 8: Media Coverage of Court Proceedings](https://www.courtswv.gov/legal-community/court-rules/wv-trial-court-rules-contents) - [West Virginia Judiciary Jefferson County directory](https://www.courtswv.gov/public-resources/court-information-county/jefferson_county) - [Judge David M. Hammer](https://www.courtswv.gov/public-resources/court-information-county/circuit-judges/davidHammer) ## JSON-LD ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/david-m-hammer-wv-circuit-jefferson", "url": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/david-m-hammer-wv-circuit-jefferson", "name": "David M. Hammer | KnowJudges", "description": "David M. Hammer, West Virginia Circuit Court, Jefferson County. Source-linked judicial identity, courtroom procedures, and presentation guidance.", "dateModified": "2026-10-07", "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/#website" }, "mainEntity": { "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/david-m-hammer-wv-circuit-jefferson#judge" } }, { "@type": "Person", "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/david-m-hammer-wv-circuit-jefferson#judge", "name": "David M. Hammer", "url": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/david-m-hammer-wv-circuit-jefferson", "jobTitle": "Circuit Judge", "worksFor": { "@type": "GovernmentOrganization", "name": "West Virginia Circuit Court, Jefferson County" }, "sameAs": [ "https://www.courtswv.gov/public-resources/court-information-county/circuit-judges/davidHammer" ], "alumniOf": [ { "@type": "EducationalOrganization", "name": "Temple University" }, { "@type": "EducationalOrganization", "name": "College of William & Mary, Marshall-Wythe School of Law" } ] }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "KnowJudges", "item": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "West Virginia", "item": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/state/west-virginia" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "David M. Hammer", "item": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/david-m-hammer-wv-circuit-jefferson" } ] } ] } ``` ## Published courtroom rules ### Shared court rules - [West Virginia Trial Court Rules, Rule 8: Media Coverage of Court Proceedings](https://knowjudges.com/courtroom-rules/national-shared-set-7bfc4ba5831cb3f30a5d65ca) — Scope is limited to the court class in the source claim. Shared court context only; case-type restrictions, exceptions, later amendments and case orders apply. This is not a personal preference or a complete rules inventory. [Official source](https://www.courtswv.gov/legal-community/court-rules/wv-trial-court-rules-contents). Collected 2026-07-27.