How to Search West Virginia Court Records (Start Here)

West Virginia court records are filed with the Circuit Clerk. The Circuit Court / Magistrate Court handles trial-level cases. West Virginia offers a statewide court search through WV Courts, which covers most case types across all counties courts.

What this page covers: West Virginia state court case records — criminal, civil, family, and probate filings. What it does not cover: Federal court cases (those are on PACER) or sealed/juvenile records.

Where to start: Use WV Courts for online case search. If you need documents beyond docket information, contact the Circuit Clerk in the specific county where the case was filed.

Common mistake: WV Courts covers state courts only. Federal cases filed in West Virginia (bankruptcy, federal criminal, federal civil) require PACER — a separate federal system.

Trial court of general jurisdiction
Lower Courts - Circuit Courts | West Virginia Judiciary
Highest court
Supreme Court of Appeals | West Virginia Judiciary
Statewide civil case search
Court Record Access - Search Landing Page | West Virginia Judiciary
Statewide criminal docket search
Court Record Access - Search Landing Page | West Virginia Judiciary
Federal courts
West Virginia Southern District Court | PACER: Federal Court Records
Number of counties
55 counties
Population
1,769,979
Households
729,200
Median Income
$55,948
Median Home Value
$145,800
SearchSystems Editorial
Edited by — Editor & Owner, SearchSystems.net. Public records professional since 1999. NAPBS founding member. Full bio & credentials.
Last reviewed: June 04, 2026 · Methodology: all West Virginia court URLs verified against the official .gov / state-judiciary publisher on the review date. 6 primary .gov / .uscourts.gov sources cited below.

West Virginia Court Records — Key Numbers (2024)

Under W.Va. Code 51-1-17(e), trial courts submit monthly reports on cases filed, disposed, and transferred.
West Virginia Judiciary
Court system
Statewide
2024
Latest fiscal year
Official .gov data
.gov
Primary source
Never data brokers
Free
Public access
Most case records
June 04, 2026
Last reviewed
By SearchSystems editorial
How to access court records — typical costs
Search online
$0
View docket entry
$0
Download document
$1
Certified copy
$5
Expungement filing
$50
Unit: USD typical fee. Fees and access policies vary by court; see Primary Sources below.

What Changed in 2026 — West Virginia Court Records

2026
West Virginia 2024 caseload report active
The West Virginia Judiciary publishes its current 2024 case filings, dispositions, and trends on the official statistics portal.
2026
West Virginia statewide case-access portal live
West Virginia Judiciary's public case-access portal continues to operate at www.courtswv.gov with statewide coverage.
2026
Latest West Virginia judiciary annual report
The most recent annual report from the West Virginia Judiciary is publicly available with full statistical addenda.
2026
West Virginia courts main directory
West Virginia's primary judicial-branch directory at www.courtswv.gov continues to be the canonical entry point for all state court matters.

The 4-Step West Virginia Court Records Pathway

1
Step 1 — Identify the court level
In West Virginia, civil and criminal trial cases sit in West Virginia Judiciary trial courts. Appellate matters go to the state's appellate courts.
2
Step 2 — Use the state case-access portal
Start at https://www.courtswv.gov/lower-courts/cases — the official public case-access for West Virginia.
3
Step 3 — Federal cases are separate
Federal cases involving West Virginia parties live on PACER (pacer.uscourts.gov), not the state system.
4
Step 4 — Sealed / expunged records
Records sealed or expunged under West Virginia law are NOT searchable on public portals. To verify, contact the originating court clerk directly.

Five Things People Get Wrong About West Virginia Court Records

❌ Myth: "West Virginia court records are on PACER."
✓ Truth: False. PACER only has federal cases. West Virginia state court records live on www.courtswv.gov.
❌ Myth: "All West Virginia case files are free."
✓ Truth: Partly true. Searching and viewing dockets is usually free. Downloading full documents or certified copies often costs $1-$5 per item.
❌ Myth: "Sealed = deleted in West Virginia."
✓ Truth: False. Sealed records still exist — they're just hidden from public search. The court clerk and law enforcement can still access them.
❌ Myth: "Third-party search sites are official."
✓ Truth: False. Only www.courtswv.gov and the linked official portals are authoritative for West Virginia.
❌ Myth: "Same-day filings show online immediately."
✓ Truth: False. Most West Virginia courts have a 24-48 hour processing lag before new filings appear in public search.

Primary Sources (All .gov / Official)

Related Court Records Resources

Related Public Records
National view of this topic: All states: Court records
Sample West Virginia counties: Barbour · Berkeley · Boone · Braxton · Brooke

Court Records Databases

5 official West Virginia court records sources.

Court Records Criminal Records Wants & Warrants Vital Records Voter Records Licenses Recorded Documents Property Records

Court Records

STATE OF WEST VIRGINIA Report of the Court of Claims 1983-1985 Volume 15
Official Free
STATE OF WEST VIRGINIA · Report · of the · Court of Claims · 1983-1985 · Volume · 15 · STATE OF WEST VIRGINIA · REPORT · OF THE · COURT OF CLAIMS · For the Period from July 1, 1983 · to June 30, 1985 · by · CHERYLE M. HALL · CLERK · VOLUME XV · zq ·
🌐 wvlegislature.gov
Supreme Court - Opinions | West Virginia Judiciary
Official Free
Links to the current term decisions filed within the Supreme Court are listed in the table below. When the page loads, the Date Filed column is sorted in descending (most recent) order. The new Search capability allows you to enter any case-related information to use as a filter. The decisions are identified using case type and decision type codes. For more information about using the decision list and for an explanation of the codes, review the page: Opinion Information.
🌐 courtswv.gov
West Virginia Southern Bankruptcy Court | PACER: Federal Court Records
Official Paid
Official websites use .gov A .gov ... Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. ... Multi-court Voice Case Information System: 866-222-8029 ext. ...
🌐 pacer.uscourts.gov
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit Office of the Clerk
Official Free
The United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit is one of twelve regional appellate courts · within the federal judicial system. The court hears appeals from the nine federal district courts in · Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina and from federal administrative
🌐 ca4.uscourts.gov
Courts & Judicial Services | Berkeley County, WV
Official Free
Authorized by the West Virginia Constitution, the state judicial system is comprised of Appellate (Supreme Court of Appeals, Intermediate Court of Appeals) and Lower (Circuit, Family, Magistrate, Treatment, Mass Litigation, Business Court Division) Courts that serve all 55 counties. Court information, including a listing of the elected members of the Judiciary that preside in Circuit, Family, Magistrate, Treatment and other court proceedings in Berkeley County can be found here.
🌐 berkeleywv.org

West Virginia Counties

55 West Virginia counties are indexed on SearchSystems.net — top 28 counties shown below. Browse the full directory or click any county for local court, sheriff, recorder and assessor links.

Kanawha Berkeley Cabell Wood Monongalia Raleigh Jefferson Harrison Mercer Barbour Boone Braxton Brooke Calhoun

Frequently Asked Questions

West Virginia's trial courts publish case lookups through the West Virginia Judiciary. Start at www.courtswv.gov — most case dockets, filings, and hearing calendars are searchable by name, case number, or filing date. County-level clerks publish additional searches; see the cards below for direct county court links.

The West Virginia Judiciary operates West Virginia's official statewide judicial portal at www.courtswv.gov. Basic case lookups are typically free of charge; certified copies and bulk-data exports may incur a per-document or per-search fee. Federal cases for West Virginia residents are searched separately through PACER.

Trial courts in West Virginia handle the original filing of civil, criminal, family, probate, and traffic matters. Appellate courts review questions of law from trial-court decisions. The West Virginia Judiciary publishes the full court structure, judge rosters, and jurisdiction maps at www.courtswv.gov.

Online coverage varies by court and case type. Most West Virginia county courts have digitized records from approximately the late 1990s or early 2000s forward; older case files may require an in-person clerk visit or a written record request. Check the West Virginia Judiciary portal at www.courtswv.gov for each court's coverage window.

No. West Virginia courts redact or remove sealed, expunged, juvenile, and certain confidential records from public-facing searches as required by state statute and court rule. If a record was previously visible and has since been sealed, it will no longer appear in the West Virginia Judiciary portal. For verification you can contact the county clerk where the case was filed.