Joyce D. Chernenko

Professional career

Education

• B.A. in Communications, Bethany College, 1978 J.D., West Virginia University College of Law

Additional information

• Creating courthouse children’s rooms, adopting mediation and parent education programs, mentoring Bethany pre-law interns, and advising its Zeta Tau Alpha chapter since 1996.
• Judicial Service: Appointed by Governor Gaston Caperton in 1996 Elected in 2002 Serving in family court for over 20 years
• Long‐time judge of the First Family Court Circuit in West Virginia, presiding over cases in Brooke, Hancock, and Ohio counties.
• Primary Location: Brooke County Judicial Center, 620 Main Street, 3rd Floor, Wellsburg, WV 26070
• Case Types: Divorce, parenting, paternity, guardianship, child support, civil domestic violence, and other family law matters.
• Special Initiatives: Has created children’s rooms adjacent to courtrooms in Ohio and Hancock counties to provide safe spaces for children during proceedings.
• Official West Virginia Judiciary page: Judge Joyce D. Chernenko
• Legal Career: Practiced domestic relations law for 14 years before judicial appointment.
• Judge Chernenko emphasizes fair treatment of all individuals, especially children, and has focused on judicial administration in family court to ensure stability and safety for children caught in family disputes.
• Early Life: Born and raised in Weirton, WV, in a diverse community that shaped her commitment to fairness and equal treatment.
• Joyce Dumbaugh Chernenko serves the First Family Court Circuit, covering Brooke, Hancock and Ohio counties, confirmed by the official court page.