I have been asked how this matter came to my attention. I am deliberately leaving out my contact source. I do not personally know this individual and don't know that I have ever met him. I am posting his messages which led to my video question that night of Jame's Rowe's credentials.

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Mysterious Etater Poster writes:


It would be interesting to see a post on e-tater about the candidate event that happened this evening.

In this link to the document from the American Bar Association, pay close attention to Interpretation 102-5.

An approved law school may not retroactively grant a J.D. degree to a graduate of its predecessor unapproved institution.

Here is the source:

http://www.abanet.org/legaled/standards/20082009StandardsWebContent/Chapter 1.pdf

Mason, after noticing that many ISL graduates have been abusing GMU's good name - and prodded by some grads - , is going to release the total list of GMUSL graduates - from their beginning to present date. Keep this under your hat until next week when the list comes out. That is their best defense against censure from the ABA. They have to show that they did not support the ISL graduates claiming GMU status. Since ISL grads do not have a home, GMUSL has allowed them to make donations to and join the GMU alumni association for the purpose of staying in touch. The rules of records, according to the asset purchase agreement, lent to the belief that it should be offered. But in no way do they condone ISL grads claiming they are GMU grads.

Help us far away folks out and give us a post on the meeting that happened tonight. Did anyone ask Rowe to produce a degree from Mason?

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My response to the above:

Video is up. I will post his paperwork tomorrow, need your review for highlights to consider.

His response:

I look forward to it.

Someday we will meet in Marlinton.

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Another Email Oct 17, 2009

What’s in a diploma?

A lot, if it's not rightfully yours.

Or, this should be titled: If you can’t buy a diploma, just make one up.

Please invest a little time and read this in its entirety.

In 1972 an attorney named John Brabner-Smith formed a new private law school in Washington DC. In the seven years the school was in existence it moved from the basement of a church to a row of townhouses and finally to an abandoned department store. He gave it a prestigious sounding name, the International School of Law (ISL). Unfortunately the school was never able to gain recognition by the American Bar Association (ABA) as an accredited law school before it closed. At the same time that ISL was looking for a buyer Virginia was looking to add a law school in the Northern part of the state. So, by an act of the legislature, George Mason University (GMU) announced it would start a law school. To jump-start that program the university bought the assets of ISL, hired a select number of ISL’s professors and allowed some ISL students to transfer to GMU. That was in 1979. In 1980 the George Mason University School of Law was created. By 1986 the school became fully accredited by the American Bar Association and today it is highly regarded.

In 1977 a young Virginia boy graduated from ISL, married a lady from West Virginia and moved to Lewisburg. He went to work for a local law firm and proudly listed his alma mater as the International School of Law. More than ten years later, in 1988, he ran for a seat in the WV House of Delegates and he needed a resume that reflected his vision of himself. So he contacted the publisher of the national directory of lawyers, Martindale-Hubbell and changed his alma mater in that listing. From 1980 through 1987 his listing correctly stated that he received his law degree from ISL. In the 1988 directory he changed his listing to claim that he graduated from George Mason University. Who is going to ever think to ask how one could have graduated from a law school that was not even in existence in 1977? For two decades nobody bothered to question that disconnect. As a matter of fact, based partly on published credentials citing the prestigious George Mason University as his law school, he was able to convince Governor Underwood to appoint him as a circuit court judge in 1997.

After hearing years of complaints about this judge an internet-savvy senior citizen, puzzled by the judge’s many peculiar rulings, started conducting some research. First there is a statement from the associate dean of records of GMU. GMU, by the conditions of its purchase agreement, is the official keeper of records for the now defunct ISL, as the records were considered part of the assets. However, under no circumstances can a graduate of ISL obtain a GMU diploma or claim they were a student or graduate of George Mason University, because they are not.

Everyone knows that if you lie to a judge you get into trouble and maybe into jail. But what do you do if you believe a judge is not truthful with you?

Judge Jim Rowe claims he graduated from a law school that did not even exist in 1977.. Furthermore the law school he attended was never accredited by the ABA. This is more than just padding your resume. How many ill-conceived decisions has he made that let child molesters walk or erroneously sent innocent people to prison?

Somebody who knows him should ask Jim Rowe: “May I please see your diploma?”

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Third email:

What started out as a question of honesty now evolved into another very odd question. Just how did Jim Rowe get admitted to the WV Bar?

One of your posters said there were only three ways to be admitted in 1978.

1. Graduate from an accredited law school. 2. Graduate from WVU School of Law. 3. Be admitted and practice in another state for five years.

Someone else asked if that was so. Well. Library. Wonderful place.

Graduated from an unaccredited out-of-state law school in 1977. Knocks out #1 and #2. Admitted to WV Bar 1978. 1978 - 1977 = 1 year. Knocks out #3.

I was contacted via email today asking if Rowe has resigned. I have nothing to confirm this but will let you know if and when he does.

I contend that what he did is criminal in itself (Lawyers call it fraud) I have indicated to Rowe's face that he allows criminals to run the Pocahontas County Court (remember Tony Tatano) And then Sheriff Alkire was "in good standing" with Judge Rowe.

Now we are getting stonewalled on our request to the
Board of Examiners asking for their "policy" re: letting a lawyer from an unaccredited law school take the bar exam.

Donna is not in her office until Monday so we can't find out what is going on with her. Even her secretary was gone today. She doesn't answer emails either.

Kinda makes you wonder what that oath is all about that people take when they testify in Rowe's court.

Note in the quote from WV code there are many places where "or its equivalent" shows up, the first being "any person who wishes to take the bar examination in the State of West Virginia shall satisfy the Board that he or she has completed a full course of study in a law school accredited by the American Bar Association, or its equivalent." The Web site for Donna's school shows it was accredited by an ABA "equivalent" starting in 1978, well before she attended. When it was required that they be accredited by the ABA itself, the school did that. It is a common process for schools to be awarded "provisional" accreditation when they first enter any accreditation system. These schools are fully accredited. After a few years of turning out competent graduates they move to "continuing" accreditation.
THIS WAS FROM ONE OF YOUR OTHER POSTING..... WAKE UP

WHY DID YOU CANCELL YOUR APPOINMENT WITH DONNA WHIS WEEK..

Good stuff Norman and looks as though some folks have done their research her. But... are you sending this information to the right channels so it can be looked into. I would think the Judicial Investigative Committee would be the place to file this initial complaint.

as slick willie would say, "it depends upon what the meaning of 'is' is".

The answer is yes! I expect there will be a vacancy in the office of judge shortly!!!