PRINCETON, WV (LOOTPRESS) – Mercer County Prosecuting Attorney Brian K. Cochran has announced his candidacy for Circuit Court Judge in the May 2026 election, a seat that will become vacant with the retirement of Judge William J. Sadler at the end of 2025.
Cochran said he made the announcement with Judge Sadler’s permission.
Judge Sadler’s retirement marks the end of what Cochran described as an influential tenure.
“I really hate that Judge Sadler is retiring because he has selflessly served our community for many, many years with distinction and is really a great man and a great judge,” Cochran said.
He noted Sadler’s background as a former elected prosecutor, adding, “He’s been a mentor and guide for me and his leadership, integrity, and service to others will be sorely missed. But the people of Mercer County deserve someone qualified to replace him once he retires, and that is why I am running and humbly asking once again for you and your family’s support. I believe experience, qualifications and hard work matter, and service for others above oneself matters the most.”
Cochran, a Republican and longtime Mercer County resident, highlighted more than 34 years of combined service in law enforcement and legal practice. His career began as a city police officer, followed by service as a deputy sheriff and later a West Virginia State Trooper.
After earning his law degree in 2007, he entered private practice, including time with the Brewster, Morhous law firm in Bluefield. He has handled criminal prosecution, civil litigation, governmental law, juvenile law, and child abuse and neglect matters.
Cochran also served as Bluefield’s City Attorney before being elected as prosecuting attorney in 2020 and re-elected in 2024.
During his tenure leading the prosecutor’s office, Cochran said the workload and responsibilities have been significant. He ran unopposed in 2024.
“Running unopposed is humbling,” he said. “But in truth, it’s a very difficult and demanding job and I think being unopposed reflected the trust that the lawyers in Mercer County and our community has in me and my office and the team that I put together and work with every day. Mercer County now has an incredible Prosecutor’s Office that will do great things for years to come.”
Cochran said his decision to seek the judgeship is grounded in his commitment to fairness and impartiality.
“Serving as your prosecutor has been one of the most challenging, rewarding, and humbling experiences of my entire career,” he said. “It’s taught me the weight of legal decisions and the importance of impartiality. I’ve always believed that our job as prosecutors is to pursue justice, not just convictions, and to treat every party in the courtroom with dignity and respect, and that’s the same opinion that a great judge should bring to the bench.”
He described his approach to legal decisions as methodical and evidence-driven.
“I’ve always said that being fair and doing the right thing is very easy, but what’s hard sometimes is figuring out what the right thing to do actually is,” he said. “That’s why I study the law, dig into the facts, and listen to all sides before making a decision or judgment. That’s what I’ve done as prosecutor, and that’s the same approach I’ll bring as your Circuit Court Judge.”
Cochran has applied for appointment to the upcoming vacancy through the West Virginia Judicial Vacancy Advisory Commission.
“I have put together a great application and many letters of recommendation, mostly from Mercer County, but also throughout the State of West Virginia, of people who know us and from people we have helped along the way,” he said. “However, we will need to win the next election no matter how the appointment process goes.”
If elected, Cochran said he would prioritize integrity, impartiality, and respect. “I believe every case deserves a full and fair hearing,” he said. “Victims, defendants, law enforcement officers, prosecutors, and defense attorneys all deserve to be treated with respect. My pledge as your next Circuit Court Judge will be to apply the law fairly, faithfully, and to make decisions that reflect both the rule of law and common sense.”
Cochran also emphasized his roots in the community. “My family lives here and we have raised our kids here and they all three attended and graduated from Mercer County Public Schools, so I know what our Mercer County values are and how our people in Mercer County think about certain things,” he said. “I really think it’s important that a Circuit Court Judge knows what it is like to raise a family here in Mercer County and appreciate our local school system and the hard working teachers who educate our kids.”
Cochran lives in Mercer County with his wife, Connie, a licensed psychologist and Director of Business Development at WVU Princeton Community Hospital Behavioral Health Center. Their three children are all graduates of Princeton Senior High School. Their son Cole is an emergency room physician in Morgantown, their daughter Régan is in her final year of medical school, and their son Grant is a junior at Concord University and a member of the football team.
“My family is my foundation,” Cochran said. “My wife and kids have supported me through every chapter of my career, and they remind me daily why I serve our community.”
Cochran concluded by asking voters for their continued support. “I’m proud of the people of Mercer County and of the work we’ve done in the prosecutor’s office, and I’m ready and I am the most experienced and qualified person to be your next Circuit Court Judge to make sure that those who are fairly and impartially convicted of crimes receive the punishment or grace that they deserve. I respectfully ask again for the support and trust of the tens of thousands of voters of Mercer County who have supported me in the past.”
