Putnam County attorney, Phillip M. Stowers, officially filed candidacy                          papers Wednesday,                               January 23rd, for                                     Putnam County Circuit                              Court Judge.  He is                               seeking the seat                                   currently held by                                   Norbert "Ed" Eagloski,                                who has yet to file for                          reelection.

In front of a small                              gathering at the                                     Putnam County                                     Courthouse                                          immediately after                                 Stowers filed for office,                                 he told his supporters                                  that “for Putnam                                    County to continue to                                  lead West Virginia in economic growth, we must elect a  new judge that will consistently and strictly adhere to the law, make prompt decisions and treat all litigants and counsel with respect, dignity and fairness.”  Stowers continued “it is just not lawyers and business leaders that are calling for a change.”

Since filing precandidacy papers last month, Stowers told his supporters that the campaign has been gaining great momentum.  “At each meeting I attend the voters I talk to clearly want a change in that circuit judge position.  This ground swell of support from community leaders and business leaders throughout the county has been very encouraging.” 

Stowers, 47, is a Magna Cum Laude graduate of Morehead with a BA in Business Administration and Economics, he went on to attend law school at The West Virginia University College of Law.  While at the college of law, Stowers won the prestigious Baker Cup Award, for appellant advocacy.  He was also a member of the West Virginia University Law Review and a member of The West Virginia University College of Law Moot Court Board.

After graduation from law school in 1986, Stowers was employed as an associate for the Huntington law firm of Huddleston & Bolen.  In 1989, Stowers moved to Charleston and continued with his private practice of law.  Stowers formed Stowers & Associates Attorneys at Law in 1991.  Since 1996 he has maintained a Putnam County practice located in Teays Valley and continues to practice in Putnam and the surrounding counties primarily engaged in civil litigation. 

Stowers told his supporters that he believes that his twenty years of trial experience and the numerous jury trials that he has completed in both state and federal court has more than adequately prepared him  to be a trial court judge that the people can trust and rely upon.

During has career, Stowers has worked as an insurance defense attorney and as plaintiff’s counsel.  He has represented small businesses and large publicly held corporations.  He has served as a Special Assistant Attorney General for the West Virginia Attorney Generals Office and as counsel to the Committee on Government Organizations on behalf of the West Virginia State Senate.

Stowers thanked everyone present for coming out to kick off this campaign and assured them that this was a great day for Putnam County and a great day for the Putnam County Judiciary.

Stowers resides in Teays Valley with his wife, Terri, and son, Andrew.