Martha is a lifelong resident of Greenbrier County. Born to the late Lewis “Bud” Fleshman, Jr. and the late Helen C. Fleshman, she grew up working on a beef cattle farm five miles from Alderson.
While a student in law school, Fleshman achieved the major accomplishment of her life by giving birth to a lovely daughter, Taylor Leigh Carter. Carter is 16 years old and is an honor student at Greenbrier East High School. She is a member of FFA and is active in both her local 4-H club and as a Teen Leader in 4-H. Carter also shows lambs at the WV State Fair. She is in Advanced Placement classes at GEHS, and is preparing for her college entrance in the fall of 2017.
Fleshman has two sisters who live in or near Alderson. Sue Fleshman retired from teaching second grade at Alderson Elementary but continues to be involved with the school and children through substitute teaching and other positions. Doris Griffith is a homemaker married to Larry Griffith, and they live just outside Alderson on Rt. 12. Doris is on the Alderson 4th of July Committee and also served for many years on the Miss Fireworks Committee. Fleshman lost her dear brother, David, in a car wreck in November, 2014. David was always proud of Martha and her accomplishments, and she now owns a portion of his former farm at Blue Sulphur Springs.
Fleshman graduated with honors from Greenbrier East High School in 1976. After working as a secretary for the WV Division of Vocational Rehabilitation and attending Greenbrier Community College Center, Martha completed her undergraduate degree in Business Administration/Accounting & Computer Science. She graduated cum laude from Concord College in 1982. After graduation, she worked as a Trust Officer for the First National Bank in Alderson and then Greenbrier Valley National Bank for nearly 15 years. She also taught computer classes at the Greenbrier Community College Center for nine years. Fleshman then obtained her law degree from West Virginia University in 2000.
Following graduation from WVU College of Law, Fleshman worked half time in solo practice and half time for Legal Aid of West Virginia where she represented victims of domestic violence. In 2006, she accepted a part-time position as Assistant Prosecutor in Monroe County where she prosecuted perpetrators of domestic violence among other offenses. In 2010, Fleshman joined John Bryan Law where she worked fullt-ime until January, 2014, when she went back into solo practice.
In Fleshman’s current practice, she accepts appointments in criminal defense, juvenile defense and abuse and neglect matters in Greenbrier, Monroe and Summers counties. Fleshman most often serves as guardian ad litem in abuse and neglect matters and represents the interests of children. She also represents children as guardian ad litem in family court matters.
Throughout the 16 years Fleshman has practiced law, she has continually represented individuals in all matters in family court i.e., divorce, custody, parenting, child support, equitable distribution and domestic violence protective orders. She has also been personally involved in all phases of family court as a party and, therefore, has first-hand knowledge and experience of the entire family court process.
Fleshman is also Assistant Mental Hygiene Commissioner for Greenbrier county; a member of the Board of Directors of Gateway Industries; and sings with both the Greenbrier Valley Chorale and Treble ‘n Bass.
Fleshman believes her many years of practice largely concentrated in family law matters and her own personal experience as a parent navigating the family court system herself gives her a unique perspective to draw on in making rulings as Family Court Judge.
