--- title: "Michael D. Lorensen | KnowJudges" canonical: "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/michael-d-lorensen-wv-circuit-berkeley" page_type: "judge_profile" updated: "2026-10-07" --- # Michael D. Lorensen West Virginia Circuit Court, Berkeley County · Circuit Judge ## Profile - Court: West Virginia Circuit Court, Berkeley 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 - Michael D. Lorensen is a judge of West Virginia’s Twenty-Seventh Judicial Circuit (Berkeley and Morgan Counties), appointed in 2012 and re‐elected in 2014, 2016, and 2024 - Office: Judge, Twenty-Seventh Judicial Circuit (Berkeley and Morgan Counties) - Legal Experience: Law clerk to U.S. District Judge Charles Haden (Southern District of West Virginia) 25 years as an attorney at Bowles Rice in Martinsburg - Earlier career experience includes law clerk to U.S. District Judge Charles Haden in the Southern District of West Virginia for three years; practiced for 25 years at Bowles Rice in Martinsburg, primarily in civil litigation ### Education - B.A. in Journalism, West Virginia University (1981) J.D., West Virginia University College of Law (1984) - Bachelor's degree, Journalism from West Virginia University in 1981 ### Additional information - 2024: Elected to the new Twenty-Seventh Judicial Circuit (Berkeley and Morgan Counties) - 2016: Re‐elected unopposed - Public Service: Member of Governor Tomblin’s 2014 West Virginia Intergovernmental Task Force on Juvenile Justice Former member of the West Virginia Board of Law Examiners 13 years on the Shenandoah Community Health Control Board, including two years as President - Appointed to circuit court in 2012. - Appointed: November 2012 by Governor Earl Ray Tomblin to replace Gina Marie Groh - 2012: Appointed to the bench - Leadership: Chair of the Business Court Division and the Judicial Hearing Board - focusing on civil litigation, with also criminal law and seven years as a court‐appointed attorney in federal courts - Judge Lorensen is a native of Morgantown, WV, and is married to Maria; they have two children. ## 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/michaelLorensen) - [Official roster](https://www.courtswv.gov/public-resources/court-information-county/circuit-judges/michaelLorensen) - [West Virginia Judiciary official judicial roster](https://www.courtswv.gov/public-resources/court-information-county/circuit-judges/michaelLorensen) - [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 Berkeley County directory](https://www.courtswv.gov/public-resources/court-information-county/berkeley_county) - [West Virginia Judiciary Morgan County directory](https://www.courtswv.gov/public-resources/court-information-county/morgan_county) - [Judge Michael D. Lorensen](https://www.courtswv.gov/public-resources/court-information-county/circuit-judges/michaelLorensen) ## JSON-LD ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/michael-d-lorensen-wv-circuit-berkeley", "url": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/michael-d-lorensen-wv-circuit-berkeley", "name": "Michael D. Lorensen | KnowJudges", "description": "Michael D. Lorensen, West Virginia Circuit Court, Berkeley 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/michael-d-lorensen-wv-circuit-berkeley#judge" } }, { "@type": "Person", "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/michael-d-lorensen-wv-circuit-berkeley#judge", "name": "Michael D. Lorensen", "url": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/michael-d-lorensen-wv-circuit-berkeley", "jobTitle": "Circuit Judge", "worksFor": { "@type": "GovernmentOrganization", "name": "West Virginia Circuit Court, Berkeley County" }, "sameAs": [ "https://www.courtswv.gov/public-resources/court-information-county/circuit-judges/michaelLorensen" ], "alumniOf": [ { "@type": "EducationalOrganization", "name": "West Virginia University" }, { "@type": "EducationalOrganization", "name": "West Virginia University College 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": "Michael D. Lorensen", "item": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/michael-d-lorensen-wv-circuit-berkeley" } ] } ] } ``` ## 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.