This story was reported by West Virginia Public Broadcasting.
The U.S. District Court for the Western District of Virginia issued a garnishment summons last month to U.S. Senator Jim Justice.
In June 2024, when Justice was governor of West Virginia, the court ordered him to pay Western Surety, a Chicago-based insurance company, $3.2 million, plus $100,000 in interest.
Western Surety sued Justice and two of his companies — Southern Coal and Bluestone Resources — in 2023, alleging breach of contract.
The court has now given Justice the option of paying the judgment, claiming an exemption or appearing in a Harrisonburg on March 28.
The case is one of dozens involving Justice and his numerous companies — many coal-related — and tens of millions of dollars in debt.
West Virginia Public Broadcasting reached out to Justice’s Senate office for comment.
Earlier this month, a federal judge in eastern Kentucky imposed new penalties on a coal company owned by Justice.
Kentucky Fuel Corp. must pay a total of nearly $850,000 in attorney fees to plaintiff New London Tobacco Market, including nearly $650,000 over a judgment issued five years ago.
U.S. District Judge Gregory Van Tatenhove also increased a contempt fine against Jim Justice’s son, Jay Justice, and associate Stephen Ball, to $1,000 a day from $250 a day.
The original contempt order was issued after Jay Justice and Ball failed to comply with a 2021 discovery request from a federal magistrate judge.
Justice and Ball are also required to pay almost $200,000 in previously awarded attorney fees. The payment deadline was October 2023, but the defendants claimed an inability to pay.
