Tamara J. DeFazio

Member

Tamara J. DeFazio is a seasoned attorney with over 22 years of trial and appellate experience.  Ms. DeFazio's experience ranges from the representation of healthcare organizations in class actions to the defense of state and local governments as well as colleges and universities in employment and civil rights actions.  She has tried a number of cases to verdict and has represented clients in the state and federal courts of West Virginia at both the trial and appellate levels.

Ms. DeFazio has served as lead trial counsel in defense of civil rights actions filed against police officers and governmental officials, defended mental health facilities, represented engineers, contractors, and architects in malpractice actions, and handled numerous insurance defense matters.  She also represented a former school administrator in the landmark case of Arbaugh v. Pendleton County Board of Education, and obtained a grant of summary judgment in favor of a former serologist in an action alleging professional negligence and falsification of records.  

Ms. DeFazio is a former member of the Defense Trial Counsel Board of Governors and was most recently appointed to serve as a Member of the Judicial Election Campaign Advertising Commission of the West Virginia State Bar.

Bar Admissions

Representative Cases

  • Posey v. City of Buckhannon, W.Va. Sup. Ct. Slip. Op., Case No. 11-0565, Jan. 27, 2012
  • Henry v. Jefferson County Commission, Opinion No. 09-2021 (4th Cir. March 3, 2011), Cert.denied, 538 U.S. 944 (2011)
  • State of West Virginia, Corporation of Charles Town v. The Honorable David H. Sanders, Judge of the Circuit Court of Jefferson County, 687 S.E.2d 568 (W.Va. 2009)
  • Barbina v. Valley Comprehensive Community Mental Health Center, Inc., 650 S.E. 2d 140 (W.Va. 2007)
  • Porter v. Grant Co. Bd. of Educ., 633 S.E.2d 38 (W.Va. 2006)
  • Arbaugh v. Pendleton Co. Bd. of Educ., 591 S.E. 2d 235 (W.Va. 2003)
  • Haney v. Preston County Comm., 575 S.E.2d 434 (W.Va. 2002)
  • McLaurin v. Zain, Civil Action No. 2:98-0909 (Mem. Order, Aug. 31, 2001)
  • Columbia Gas Transmission Corp. v. Drain, 191 F.3d 552 (4th Cir. 1999)
  • Mallamo v. Town of Rivesville, 197 W. Va. 616, 477 S.E.2d 525 (1996)
  • State Farm Mutual Automobile Ins. Co. v. Norman, 191 W.Va. 498, 446 S.E.2d 720 (1994)
  • Lewis v. WYK Associates, Inc., 4 F.3d 985 (4th Cir. (Table Op.) 1993)
  • Fox v. Castranova, 911 F.2d 722 (4th Cir. 1990)

Education

Professional Associations and Memberships

  • Salvation Army (Former Member, Board of Advisors in Marion and Monongalia Counties)
  • West Virginia State Bar Judicial Election Campaign Advertising Commission

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