WINFIELD — Putnam County Circuit Court Judge Mark Sorsaia has announced his resignation effective July 31, according to a July 17 Facebook post shared by Hurricane Mayor Scott Edwards.
Sorsaia is resigning following a diagnosis of early stage Alzheimer's disease, according to the post. He submitted his letter of resignation to the Governor's office and to the West Virginia Supreme Court on Friday.
Sorsaia — who served as the Putnam County prosecutor for 28 years and West Virginia Cabinet Secretary of Homeland Security — was appointed to the 29th Judicial Circuit Court serving Putnam County on Oct. 15, 2024, by then-Gov. Jim Justice.
The 29th Judicial Circuit became the 7th Judicial Court on Jan. 1, 2025, because of House Bill 3332, which the West Virginia Legislature passed in 2023.
Sorsaia then ran for his appointed seat and was elected during the May 2026 primary election in West Virginia.
Sorsaia: 'Last gesture of public service is to educate our community'
"So some may wonder why I would have filled (sic) for election this year, and then resign my post on the last day of July. The answer is I have recently been diagnosed with early stage Alzheimer's disease, which for obvious reasons would affect my ability to serve as your circuit judge," Sorsaia wrote in the statement shared by Edwards.
Sorsaia said he was making the statement to not only share the news of his resignation, but also to provide some information about his Alzheimer's experience and to encourage others to get screened.
"I have experienced what I considered annoying memory problems for some time. Not necessarily significant problems till recently," Sorsaia said. "My last gesture of public service is to educate our community through this post that if you are over fifty years old (even though younger people can be affected) and you have concerns about the quality of your memory, you need to see a doctor."
Sorsaia said early markers of Alzheimer's, including a new blood test, can help diagnose the degenerative neurological disease early enough for patients to begin effective treatment. While treatment won't reverse cognitive decline, it can slow it down. He said he will begin an 18-month course of intravenous therapy that isn't a cure, but "it can give me potentially years of quality of life because it slows the advancement of the disease."
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"I'm not a doctor, expert, and my advice is from the perspective of a patient," Sorsaia said, adding that people over 50 years old should include Alzheimer's testing on their medical list of things to monitor.
Accolades pour in
Sorsaia began his career as assistant prosecuting attorney in 1988 and went on to serve as the Prosecuting Attorney of Putnam County. He has held leadership roles in several state and national legal organizations, including the West Virginia Prosecuting Attorneys Institute and the National District Attorneys Association.
"I want to thank the voters of Putnam County for the opportunity to be your Prosecuting Attorney for so many years. I want to thank Senator Jim Justice for allowing me to be his Cabinet Secretary of Homeland Security and for my gubernatorial appointment as Circuit Judge, and most importantly I want to thank my dear friends in our law enforcement community for their support and their friendship over the years," Sorsaia said. "Looking back on my career, I am so thankful for my opportunity to serve my community and our great state."
In his Facebook post, Edwards described Sorsaia as a friend and encouraged the community to offer its support.
"I’ve known Mark for decades as a friend, prosecutor, cabinet secretary and judge, as I know a lot of you have as well," Edwards stated. "Today, Mark and his family need our prayers and friendships."
The Putnam County Circuit Clerk's Office also made a Facebook post honoring Sorsaia.
"As he steps down following a recent diagnosis, we recognize the weight of that decision and commend his strength in making it. His contributions to our legal system and community will not be forgotten," the clerk's office stated. "With sincere appreciation for his years of dedicated service, the staff of the Circuit Clerk's office thanks Judge Sorsaia and extends our best wishes to him and his family."
Sen. Jim Justice, R-W.Va., said of Sorsaia, "He’s a great man who has given so much to West Virginia."
Morrisey will appoint Sorsaia’s replacement.
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