CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- West Virginia Supreme Court Justice and former longtime legislator Joseph P. Albright died late Friday in Pittsburgh where he was undergoing treatment for esophageal cancer. He was 70.

Albright had been on leave from the court since July 2008 when he was diagnosed.

Retired Justice Thomas McHugh, who had been serving on the court during Albright's absence, said, "Justice Albright was an exceptional public servant. He devoted most of his life to the service of the citizens of West Virginia. It was an honor for me to serve with him and to sit in his place during his illness."

Albright was appointed to an unexpired term on the bench by Gov. Gaston Caperton in 1995. He ran for the full term in 1996, but lost. He ran again in 2000 and was elected to a full 12-year term.

Before his time on the high court, Albright served in the House of Delegates as a Democrat from Wood County. He was first elected in 1970 and then elected to six more terms starting in 1974. He was education and judiciary chairman before being elected speaker in 1985.

U.S. District Judge Robert C. Chambers, who followed Albright as speaker, called him "a legislative giant."

Chambers cited two key issues where Albright's ability to bring conflicting interests together resulted in time-tested legislation -- statewide property reappraisal and legislation reacting to the Supreme Court's 1978 decision that allowed workers to sue their employers.

"Joe spent literally several years helping to formulate our property tax reappraisal system. Through his thoughtfulness we came up with a pretty good plan to deal with the property tax structure. Obviously, it worked. For the last 20 years, it hasn't been an issue."

The property tax issue, however, was widely believed to be the reason Albright lost his re-election bid to the House in 1986.

Chambers, who served 18 years in the Legislature and 10 years as speaker, said Albright was one of the principals in the legislative event that he still considers one of the most memorable of his tenure -- the 1979 debate over the death penalty. Albright, who was judiciary chairman, argued in favor of restoring the death penalty; Majority Leader Roger Tompkins argued against.

"Roger and Joe squared off in a completely honorable way. Both before and since, that has been my vision of what a legislative debate should be. It was an extremely tense time. There were hard feelings on both sides and a lot of public focus on the House.

"Frankly, I don't recall any other debate being so highly charged and also rising to the level that those two rose to that day. It was the Lincoln-Douglas debate of our time in the Legislature," Chambers said.

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- West Virginia Supreme Court Justice and former longtime legislator Joseph P. Albright died late Friday in Pittsburgh where he was undergoing treatment for esophageal cancer. He was 70.

Albright had been on leave from the court since July 2008 when he was diagnosed.

Retired Justice Thomas McHugh, who had been serving on the court during Albright's absence, said, "Justice Albright was an exceptional public servant. He devoted most of his life to the service of the citizens of West Virginia. It was an honor for me to serve with him and to sit in his place during his illness."

Albright was appointed to an unexpired term on the bench by Gov. Gaston Caperton in 1995. He ran for the full term in 1996, but lost. He ran again in 2000 and was elected to a full 12-year term.

Before his time on the high court, Albright served in the House of Delegates as a Democrat from Wood County. He was first elected in 1970 and then elected to six more terms starting in 1974. He was education and judiciary chairman before being elected speaker in 1985.

U.S. District Judge Robert C. Chambers, who followed Albright as speaker, called him "a legislative giant."

Chambers cited two key issues where Albright's ability to bring conflicting interests together resulted in time-tested legislation -- statewide property reappraisal and legislation reacting to the Supreme Court's 1978 decision that allowed workers to sue their employers.

"Joe spent literally several years helping to formulate our property tax reappraisal system. Through his thoughtfulness we came up with a pretty good plan to deal with the property tax structure. Obviously, it worked. For the last 20 years, it hasn't been an issue."

The property tax issue, however, was widely believed to be the reason Albright lost his re-election bid to the House in 1986.

Chambers, who served 18 years in the Legislature and 10 years as speaker, said Albright was one of the principals in the legislative event that he still considers one of the most memorable of his tenure -- the 1979 debate over the death penalty. Albright, who was judiciary chairman, argued in favor of restoring the death penalty; Majority Leader Roger Tompkins argued against.

"Roger and Joe squared off in a completely honorable way. Both before and since, that has been my vision of what a legislative debate should be. It was an extremely tense time. There were hard feelings on both sides and a lot of public focus on the House.

"Frankly, I don't recall any other debate being so highly charged and also rising to the level that those two rose to that day. It was the Lincoln-Douglas debate of our time in the Legislature," Chambers said.

Check back for additional details.