ABOUt me

I would like to briefly share a little about myself to give the residences of Jefferson County confidence that they can trust me with their vote for Magistrate on Tuesday, May 14, 2024!

My roots run deep here in Jefferson County, West Virginia! I am the oldest daughter of the late Harry L. Shirley, Jr. and Connie Shirley Bivens. I come from a long line of public servants, and I have been born and raised in this community. I was dedicated and baptized at Calvary Assembly of God in Ranson, WV, and continue to serve in my local church. I graduated from Jefferson High School and earned my bachelor’s degree from Shepherd University. I began my first job at United Bank in Charles Town and went on to work in Human Resources at Shepherd University, where I helped place students in jobs on campus.

I have been married for over 27 years to my husband, Dean, and we raised our two children here. Both graduated from Washington High School and our daughter is currently attending Shepherd University earning a degree in education. Both our children were active in our community, from playing soccer for AYSO, school activities, and members of the Evergreen 4H Club. I was also a 4H Club Leader for many years. Because of this great program, we volunteered everywhere in this county from picking up trash along the road, feeding the homeless, visiting nursing homes, and writing to our military overseas.

In January 2019, I began working for a newly- appointed Magistrate, Magistrate D’Angelo. As a Magistrate Assistant, I was given a unique opportunity to learn, experience, and see everything a Magistrate does in the position. I am not on the sidelines merely as an observer, but I am an active participant ensuring every decision made is recorded in UJA (the Unified Judicial Application system) and follow up steps are completed. The position is broken up into three parts that we have titled the following: Court, Calls, and Judicial. During the Magistrate’s Court week, I am in court right along with the Magistrate when pleas, deferrals, or guilty verdicts are entered. I am in court when a bench or jury trial is conducted and when determining probable cause in a felony preliminary hearing. During the Magistrate’s Call week, I interact with the public, whether it’s to file a civil complaint, wrongful occupation, family protective petition, personal safety petition, or pay a citation. A Call week will also consist of arraignments of new defendants or issuing warrants. During the Magistrate’s Judicial week, I am setting the court docket for felony preliminary hearings, misdemeanor pre-trial hearings, and civil hearings. This summary does not encompass the entire responsibility of this job, but it gives a glimpse of the level of knowledge and experience that is needed to run a Magistrate’s Office successfully and competently.

Not only do I have the privilege to work hand-in-hand with a Magistrate, but also the Magistrate Clerk, deputy clerks, and two other magistrates and their assistants. Since the time I have been working with Magistrate Court, I have worked with a total of five magistrates including Gail Boober and Mary Paul Rissler. This position also gives me the opportunity to build relationships with law enforcement, local attorneys, the Prosecutor’s office, the Public Defender’s office, and many vital businesses in our community.

The most important experience I have gained from working as a Magistrate Assistant is I get to interact with the people in our community who benefit from or need our services, from someone who just received a speeding ticket, a person who needs to file a civil complaint, a landlord evicting a tenant, or victims who are in troubled relationships either with a family member or even a neighbor.

After seeing the responsibility of this office, it is very apparent to me how important it is to have honest, fair, impartial, and experienced individuals in this position, which is why I am running and asking for your vote on May 14.

Thank you,

Lisa Shirley-Fraley