Louise Goldston Removed

Louise Goldston, a West Virginia Family Court judge, stopped a court proceeding in March 2020 between Matt Gibson and his ex-wife, ordered everyone in the courtroom to drive to Gibson's home, and personally led a warrantless search of the property. When Gibson told her, on camera, that she could not enter his home without a warrant, Goldston replied, "oh yeah, I will," and proceeded with the search. The Institute for Justice took up Gibson's case, and a federal appeals court later unanimously denied Goldston judicial immunity for the search. In January 2023, one week after the West Virginia House of Delegates introduced a resolution to impeach her, Goldston filed notice of her retirement. The House dropped the impeachment inquiry following her retirement announcement, but Gibson's underlying lawsuit against her continued.