A jury in West Virginia held that a coal company was liable for various claims made against it.
They awarded the plaintiffs $50 million in punitive damages. Knowing that the decision would be appealed, the coal company donated $3 million to the election campaign of a successful candidate for the West Virginia high court.
When the case was heard on appeal, plaintiffs contended that the justice who received the campaign contribution should not participate in the decision.He did participate and held for the coal company, reversing the trial court decision.
What basis would the plaintiffs have to complain about participation by the judge? [Caperton v. A.T. Massey Coal Co., 129 S.Ct. 2252 (2010)]