WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senators Shelley Moore Capito and Joe Manchin have introduced a bill naming the Clarksburg Federal Courthouse the “Irene M. Keeley United States Courthouse,” after retired U.S. District Judge Irene Keeley.
Capito said she was glad to help introduce the bill.
“I’m really happy about that. She’s a great woman and somebody inspirational for our young West Virginia girls,” Capito said during her weekly call with reporters Thursday.
Keeley was the first woman appointed as a district judge in West Virginia’s Northern District. She served on the bench for more than 30 years.
“She served with great distinction,” Capito said.
The bill was introduced in the Senate’s Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee where Capito is the ranking member.
“Many of the folks in the judicial committee that I talked to say that Judge Keeley was one of the most prepared, one of the most thorough and one of the most fair judges they ever had exposure to,” Capito said.
Manchin said the honor is well-deserved.
“I have long admired Judge Keeley’s unwavering commitment to the pursuit of justice. As the former Chief Judge and first woman to serve on the bench for the Northern District of West Virginia, her judicial career has been guided by fairness, accountability, and compassion,” Manchin said in a statement. “Judge Keeley’s decades of service make this tribute beyond deserving. I will continue to support efforts to dedicate the Clarksburg Federal Courthouse in her honor knowing that her legacy will inspire the next generation of legal professionals in West Virginia.”
Keeley was nominated by President George H. W. Bush in 1992. She was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on Aug. 11, 1992. She took inactive senior status on Sept. 30, 2022.