By JAKE ZUCKERMAN
Charleston Gazette-Mail
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — When Gov. Jim Justice announced his support for the Legislature to form an intermediate court of appeals, Republican leaders in the Senate rose to their feet in applause.
Members of the House of Delegates from both parties, however, are skeptical or outright opposed to what they see as an unnecessary layer of government and millions in new spending to support big-business interests — potentially imperiling a Senate GOP priority.
This isn’t the first year the Legislature has attempted to form an appellate court between the circuit court and Supreme Court levels. Last year, Senate Republicans and one Democrat passed legislation 23-11 to do as much. No House committee took it up. Over the past 20 years, similar efforts have failed as well.
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