FAIRMONT, W.Va. — A report published earlier this week concerning an American Tort Reform Association review named West Virginia’s Supreme Court of Appeals in its recent list of “judicial hellholes.”

But the West Virginia Association for Justice says this report has ulterior motives and is working to persuade the citizens into forming negative opinions about the West Virginia court system, officials with the organization say.

The WVAJ has called for these attacks of West Virginia courts to stop.

“For more than a decade, the American Tort Reform Association has unfairly criticized West Virginia in state and national media,” said Anthony Majestro, president of the WVAJ. “These are baseless attacks that damage our national reputation and hamper efforts to bring new businesses to our state. Our lawmakers and business leaders should demand these attacks need to stop now.”

The West Virginia Association for Justice represents 500 plaintiffs attorneys throughout the state, with the aim to preserve and improve the civil justice system.

The organization’s goal, according to its mission statement, is to uphold the constitutions of both the United States and of West Virginia, while protecting Seventh Amendment rights.

Majestro explains that while West Virginia was the focus of this year’s attack, appeals are at a 29-year low…