Exhibit 31.2

CERTIFICATION PURSUANT TO SECTION 302 OF THE SARBANES-OXLEY ACT OF 2002

I, Michael D. Fowler, certify that:

1.                   I have reviewed this annual report on Form 10-K of PremierWest Bancorp;

2.                   Based on my knowledge, this annual report does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit
                      to state a material fact necessary to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which
                      such statements were made, not misleading with respect to the period covered by this annual report;

3.                   Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial information included in this annual
                      report, fairly present in all material respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of
                      the registrant as of, and for, the periods presented in this annual report;

4.                   The registrant’s other certifying officer(s) and I are responsible for establishing and maintaining disclosure
                      controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15(d)-(e)) for the registrant and
                      internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f))
                      for the registrant and have:

                      a)             Designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such disclosure controls and
                                      procedures to be designed under our supervision, to ensure that material information relating to the
                                      registrant, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to us by others within those
                                      entities, particularly during the period in which this annual report is being prepared;

                      b)            Designed such internal control over financial reporting, or caused such internal control over
                                      financial reporting to be designed under our supervision, to provide reasonable assurance
                                      regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for
                                      external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles;

                      c)             Evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant’s disclosure controls and procedures and presented in
                                      this report our conclusions about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures as of
                                      the end of the period covered by this annual report based on such evaluation; and

                      d)            Disclosed in this report any change in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting that
                                      occurred during the registrants most recent fiscal quarter (the registrants fourth fiscal quarter in the
                                      case of an annual report) that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to affect, the
                                      registrant’s internal control over financial reporting; and

5.                   The registrant’s other certifying officer(s) and I have disclosed, based on our most recent evaluation of
                      internal control over financial reporting, to the registrant’s auditors and the audit committee of the
                      registrant’s board of directors (or persons performing the equivalent functions):

                      a)            All significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal control
                                     over financial reporting which are reasonably likely to adversely affect the registrant's ability to
                                     record, process, summarize and report financial information; and

                      b)           Any fraud, whether or not material, that involves Management or other employees who have a
                                     significant role in the registrant's internal control over financial reporting.

Date: March 16, 2009	/s/ MICHAEL D. FOWLER
	Michael D. Fowler
	Chief Financial Officer (Principal Financial
	Officer and Principal Accounting Officer)