West Virginia Court Records Search by Name

Q: Can I search West Virginia Circuit Court records statewide?

Yes. WVPASS provides statewide public Circuit Court record access for all 55 counties. The current FAQ states that public cases filed from July 1, 1999 onward are available within portal coverage.

Court Records Search

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West Virginia official court-record routes

Search West Virginia Court Records by Name Without Missing the Magistrate Court System

West Virginia now provides statewide online access to both magistrate and circuit court case information, but the two systems are separate. For many name searches, especially misdemeanors, small civil claims and preliminary felony matters, the free Magistrate Record Search is the most useful first stop.

Quick answerUse the free Magistrate Case Record Search for public Magistrate Court case information from all 55 counties; it accepts a first name, last name or case number and returns up to 30 results, but not the actual documents. For public Circuit Court cases, use WVPASS: registration and case browsing are free, public cases filed from July 1, 1999 onward are within its stated coverage, and public documents cost $0.25 per page to view or download. WVPASS downloads are not certified copies.

Choose the right court Follow the 7-step search Get court documents

Choose the West Virginia Court Before You Search a Name

West Virginia’s court system is statewide, but public access depends on the court level. Magistrate Courts and Circuit Courts now have separate statewide record-search routes. Family Court files have additional confidentiality rules, while appellate opinions and dockets are published through the West Virginia Judiciary.

Magistrate Court

Free statewide name search

Use the Magistrate Case Record Search for public magistrate case information from all 55 counties. It accepts a first name, last name or case number and returns up to 30 records.

Open Magistrate Record Search

Circuit Court

Separate statewide circuit search

Use the West Virginia Judiciary Court Record Access page to enter the statewide Circuit Court search. Public circuit court documents can be downloaded for a nominal fee by registered users when the document is available online.

Open Court Record Access

Family Court

Orders may be public; files are restricted

Family Court handles divorce, custody, paternity, support and related matters. Public access is narrower than an ordinary civil file, so use the Circuit Clerk in the relevant county when you need an order or authorized file access.

Family Court information

County contacts

Find the clerk that holds the file

The Judiciary’s county information pages identify local Circuit Courts, Family Courts, Magistrate Courts and clerk contact information. Use the county where the case was filed, not simply where a person currently lives.

Find court information

Appellate

Supreme Court opinions and dockets

The Supreme Court of Appeals publishes current and prior-term opinions and maintains current and archived docket information. This is different from searching a trial-court case by name.

Supreme Court docket

Federal cases

Use PACER for federal court

Federal district, bankruptcy and appellate cases filed in West Virginia are not part of the state Magistrate or Circuit Court searches. Use PACER for federal dockets and documents.

PACER court-record guide

Official statewide search routes at a glance

Official route	Best for	Access point
Magistrate Case Record Search	Statewide public Magistrate Court case information	MCRSearch
WVPASS	Statewide public Circuit Court case information and available documents	Court Record Access
Court Information by County	Circuit Clerk, Magistrate Clerk and county court contacts	County information
ICA Opinions	Intermediate Court decisions	ICA opinions
ICA Docket	Current and archived Intermediate Court appellate docket information	ICA docket
Supreme Court Opinions	Supreme Court of Appeals decisions	Supreme opinions
Supreme Court Docket	Current and archived Supreme Court appellate docket information	Supreme docket

Do not treat one system as a complete background search. The Magistrate Case Record Search itself warns that online results are not guaranteed to represent a complete civil or criminal history. Verify important information with the clerk of the court where the case was filed.

How to Search West Virginia Court Records by Name in 7 Steps

Identify the court level. Decide whether the matter is likely in Magistrate Court, Circuit Court, Family Court, an appellate court, municipal court or federal court.

Start with the statewide record-access page. West Virginia Judiciary links separate statewide searches for Magistrate and Circuit Court records from its official Court Record Access page.

Use the Magistrate search for common lower-court matters. Enter a first name, last name or case number. If a broad surname produces too many results, add the first name or use the case number when known.

Save the county and case number. The county matters because the underlying documents are held by the local clerk, even when the case information appears in a statewide system.

Check the case details carefully. Compare filing date, case type, parties, charges or claims, disposition, event dates and the court location before treating the result as the correct case.

Contact the clerk for documents or certification. Magistrate documents are not downloadable through the public Magistrate Case Record Search. Call or visit the county magistrate clerk for copies.

Use a different route when the record type does not fit. Family Court, appellate and federal records have different access rules and tools. Do not repeat the same magistrate search when the case belongs elsewhere.

How to Search West Virginia Court Records by Name Without Mixing Court Levels

A statewide name search works best after you identify whether the case is Magistrate Court or Circuit Court. The two official portals are separate, and a felony can appear first in Magistrate Court for a preliminary stage and later in Circuit Court for prosecution.

What you know	Best first search	How to narrow it	What to save
Only a person’s name	Magistrate Search + WVPASS	Add first name, county, case type or filing period when the portal supports it.	Court, county, case number and filing date.
Magistrate case number	Magistrate Case Record Search	Use the exact case number rather than a broad surname.	Case ID, county, parties, disposition and docket entries.
Circuit case number	WVPASS	Search the exact case number and confirm county/case type.	Case number, public document list and Circuit Clerk county.
Citation or early criminal paperwork	Magistrate Search	Use the defendant name or case number shown on the paperwork.	Whether the matter remained in Magistrate Court or moved to Circuit Court.
Divorce/custody party name	Circuit Clerk / applicable public index or order route	Use county, case number and order date.	Whether the requested material is a public order/index or a confidential file document.

Common-name warning: the Magistrate search returns no more than 30 records in a result list. If a surname is common, add the first name or use the case number so a relevant record is not hidden beyond the result cap.

WV Magistrate Court Records: What the Free Search Actually Shows

The West Virginia Judiciary launched statewide online Magistrate Court case information in January 2024. The system is free, does not require registration for ordinary searching, and covers public case information from all 55 counties.

55 countiesStatewide magistrate coverage

FreeNo ordinary search fee

Up to 30Results returned in a list

No documentsClerk supplies the copies

Depending on the case, the detail page can show basic case information, filing date, case type, parties, charges, civil judgments, bond information, event schedules and docket entries. Criminal or traffic entries can also show charge-level status or disposition fields when that information is public. The presence or absence of a field does not prove that a complete court file is available online.

The Magistrate search is not a complete civil or criminal history. Its own disclaimer says the Judiciary does not guarantee that retrieved records represent a complete history and instructs users to validate important information with the clerk of the court where the case was filed.

What Magistrate Courts handle

West Virginia Magistrate Courts are limited-jurisdiction trial courts. They hear civil cases with no more than $20,000 in dispute, misdemeanor cases and preliminary examinations in felony cases. Magistrates also issue or record various criminal-process documents and can handle emergency protective-order duties described by state law and court rules.

Best practical use: use the online search to identify the county, case number, filing date and exact case you need. Then contact that county’s magistrate clerk if you need a complaint, judgment, order or other document from the file.

West Virginia Circuit Court Records Use WVPASS

Circuit Courts are West Virginia’s general-jurisdiction trial courts of record. They handle felonies, civil and equity matters within their jurisdiction, extraordinary-writ proceedings and appeals from Magistrate and Municipal Courts. Current Judiciary materials also show an overlap in civil monetary jurisdiction: Magistrate Courts may hear civil disputes up to $20,000, while Circuit Courts generally have jurisdiction over civil matters exceeding $7,500. Amount alone therefore does not always identify the correct court.

The official Court Record Access page routes Circuit Court searches to the West Virginia Public Access Search System, or WVPASS. WVPASS covers public Circuit Court case information and documents statewide in all 55 counties.

Use Circuit Court when

The case is a felony prosecution.
The matter is a public Circuit Court civil or equity case.
The filing is an appeal from Magistrate or Municipal Court.
You need a public Circuit Court judgment, order, docket or filed document.

Use the Circuit Clerk when WVPASS is not enough

Contact the Circuit Clerk for certified copies, pre-July-1999 files, documents not available online, questions about a case’s public/non-public security status, and records that require clerk review.

WVPASS: Exact Coverage, Fees and Limits

WVPASS launched statewide public Circuit Court access in March 2025. The portal’s current FAQ says public cases filed from July 1, 1999 onward are available within its stated coverage. Registration is free, browsing case details is free, and the system supports searches by party name, case number and other filters.

WVPASS feature	Current published rule	What it means for a record search
Registration	Free	Create an account before using the public Circuit Court portal.
Case-detail browsing	Free	You can identify the case and review available case information before buying documents.
Public case years	Cases filed from July 1, 1999 onward	Older Circuit Court files should be requested from the Circuit Clerk rather than treated as missing.
Document viewing/download	$0.25 per page for public access users	The fee applies when accessing available documents, not merely browsing case details.
Certified copies	Not provided by WVPASS	Request a certified copy directly from the Circuit Clerk.
Purchase history	Purchased documents remain viewable for 30 days	A closed browser does not necessarily require purchasing the same document again during that period.
Mobile access	Portal is mobile-friendly	Case browsing can be done from a smartphone or tablet as well as a computer.

Public vs. non-public status matters. WVPASS says each case is identified as public or non-public. If your search terms are correct but the case is missing, contact the Circuit Clerk to confirm the case’s security/access level instead of assuming no record exists.

Open West Virginia Court Record Access

Family Court Records Have a Public-Order / Restricted-File Split

West Virginia Family Courts handle divorce, annulment, separate maintenance, paternity, grandparent visitation, name changes, infant guardianship, child custody and family-support matters, subject to statutory limits and overlap with Circuit Court in certain situations.

The current Circuit Clerk procedural manual makes an important access distinction: Family Court orders and indexes are public records, but the underlying case file—including pleadings, recordings, exhibits and other documents—is not generally open to the public. Access to the file is limited to parties and other people authorized under the applicable rules and law.

Privacy warning: do not assume that because a Family Court order or index is public, every filing in the case is available for public inspection. Ask the county Circuit Clerk what can lawfully be inspected or copied.

Municipal Court Records Usually Require the Local City Court

West Virginia municipal courts are locally administered and are not part of the state’s unified judicial system. Their jurisdiction is generally limited to municipal ordinance violations, so a city-level case may not appear in either WVPASS or the statewide Magistrate Case Record Search.

Start with the municipality

If the citation, summons or notice names a municipal court, contact that city or town court for the docket, hearing information and copies. Use the exact municipal court named on the paperwork.

Appeals move to Circuit Court

Circuit Courts receive appeals from municipal courts. If the case was appealed, the Circuit Clerk may hold the appellate record even though the original municipal file remains local.

Traffic warning: do not assume every traffic matter is a Magistrate Court case. A municipal ordinance or city citation can belong to a municipal court, while other traffic matters may be handled in Magistrate Court.

Probate and Estate Records Do Not Start in West Virginia Circuit Court

Probate is a major exception to the ordinary court-record routing rules. The current West Virginia Circuit Clerk procedural manual states that Circuit Courts do not have original probate jurisdiction because probate jurisdiction remains with county commissions. In practice, county-level probate, wills and estate administration commonly route through the County Commission and County Clerk or fiduciary office, depending on the county’s local process.

Record type	Correct starting office	Do not confuse it with
Will / probate / estate administration	County Commission / County Clerk or fiduciary office	Circuit Court case search
Deed, recorded lien, marriage or other county recording	County Clerk	Circuit Clerk
Circuit civil/criminal case	Circuit Clerk / WVPASS	County Clerk land-record index
Magistrate case document	Magistrate Clerk	Circuit Clerk unless the file was transferred on appeal or felony proceedings

If a probate dispute later reaches Circuit Court through an appeal or related civil proceeding, that Circuit Court case can create a separate court record. Do not use that later appeal to replace the county probate file when you need the original will or estate administration record.

West Virginia Appeals Split Between the Intermediate Court and Supreme Court

Appellate records should not be searched as though they were ordinary Magistrate or Circuit Court records. West Virginia’s Intermediate Court of Appeals (ICA) and Supreme Court of Appeals publish their own opinions, decisions and docket information.

Intermediate Court of Appeals

Civil, family and specified administrative appeals

The ICA has jurisdiction over final orders or judgments in civil cases, most Family Court appeals, workers’ compensation matters, administrative matters and guardianship/conservatorship cases, subject to statutory exceptions. Its opinion list can be filtered by case-related information, and current/archived docket pages provide case numbers and case names.

ICA opinions

Supreme Court of Appeals

Criminal, juvenile and other Supreme Court matters

Criminal, juvenile, abuse-and-neglect, domestic-violence and other categories excluded from ICA jurisdiction can proceed through the Supreme Court appellate structure. The Supreme Court publishes searchable opinion lists and current or archived docket information.

Supreme Court opinions

Domestic-violence appeal exception: a final Family Court domestic-violence order is not routed like an ordinary Family Court appeal to the ICA. Current appellate rules require that type of Family Court appeal to go first to Circuit Court.

If you are trying to understand whether a lower-court result moved to another court, save the original case number and the appellate case number separately. The records may exist in both court levels but contain different documents.

How to Get West Virginia Court Documents, Plain Copies and Certified Copies

The online systems answer different parts of the records task. Magistrate Case Record Search identifies the case but does not provide documents. WVPASS can provide public Circuit Court documents within its coverage, but its downloads are not certified. The record-holding clerk remains the source when certification, an older file or a non-online document is required.

Need	Where to go	Current verified fee / rule	Important limit
Magistrate case information	Magistrate Case Record Search	Free online search	First name, last name or case number; up to 30 results; documents are not online.
Magistrate photocopy	County Magistrate Clerk	$0.25 per page under Administrative Rule 11	An unreasonably burdensome request may be denied or delayed under the rule.
Magistrate fax transmission	County Magistrate Clerk	$2.00 per page for qualifying requested transmissions	Rule 11 contains exceptions for parties authorized to receive court services without cost.
Circuit case details	WVPASS	Free browsing after free registration	Public Circuit Court cases within portal coverage; non-public cases will not display normally.
Circuit public document	WVPASS	$0.25 per page for public access users	Viewing/downloading is paid; downloaded documents are not certified.
Certified Circuit Court copy	Circuit Clerk	Confirm current county/clerk charge	WVPASS cannot issue a certified copy.
Pre-July-1999 Circuit Court file	Circuit Clerk	Confirm with the clerk	The WVPASS FAQ states public portal case coverage begins July 1, 1999.

What to give the clerk

The complete case number, if known.
Full party names and the county where the case was filed.
The approximate filing or disposition year.
The exact document needed, such as complaint, judgment, sentencing order, dismissal order or docket sheet.
Whether you need a plain copy or a certified copy.
Your preferred return method, after confirming what that clerk allows.

Do not mail an assumed fee. Magistrate photocopy and fax rates are set by the statewide administrative rule, but Circuit Clerk certification and local request costs can depend on the record and office. Confirm the total and accepted payment method before mailing a request.

Older West Virginia Court Records: Use Filing Date, Court Level and Retention Rules

Older records should not be treated as missing merely because they are not online. WVPASS states that its public Circuit Court case coverage begins with cases filed on July 1, 1999. For older Circuit Court files, contact the Circuit Clerk in the filing county.

Magistrate Court records follow a detailed statewide retention schedule under Administrative Rule 12. The retention period depends on the record category and outcome, and some appealed or felony-related files are forwarded to the Circuit Clerk.

Magistrate record situation	Current retention / transfer rule	Where to ask later
Other misdemeanor dismissed	Retain 10 years after dismissal	Magistrate Clerk
Other misdemeanor conviction, fine paid/sentence served	Retain 75 years after conviction	Magistrate Clerk
Unserved felony warrant	Retain criminal complaint and warrant for 75 years	Magistrate Clerk
Felony probable cause found or preliminary hearing waived	Forward records to Circuit Clerk; retain transfer sheet for 10 years	Circuit Clerk for transferred case file
Civil complaint dismissed	Retain records for 1 year after dismissal	Magistrate Clerk
Civil judgment awarding relief	Retain 10 years from last collection activity	Magistrate Clerk
Civil judgment appealed	Forward records to Circuit Clerk; retain transfer sheet for 10 years	Circuit Clerk
Miscellaneous record, including search warrants	Retain 10 years	Magistrate Clerk

Practical older-file route: start with the current online search to identify any surviving index information, then call the filing county’s clerk. If the Magistrate record was appealed or a felony file was transferred, the Circuit Clerk may hold the later record even when the Magistrate Clerk no longer keeps the full original file.

No West Virginia Court Record Showing? Use This Recovery Sequence

1. Check the court level

A Circuit Court felony will not become a Magistrate Court result simply because the case began with a preliminary hearing in Magistrate Court. Search the level that currently holds the matter.

2. Simplify the name

Try the last name alone, then add the first name. Use spelling variants only when you have a legitimate reason to expect them.

3. Use the case number

If you have a citation, complaint, order or other court paper, use its case number rather than relying on a common name.

4. Confirm the county

The filing county controls which clerk has the documents. Residence, arrest location and current address do not always identify the filing court.

5. Check access limits

Sealed, juvenile, personal-safety, certain family or other confidential material may not be publicly accessible.

6. Common name hit the 30-result cap

Magistrate searches return up to 30 records. Add the first name or use the case number rather than assuming a case is absent.

7. Circuit case is older than WVPASS coverage

WVPASS states public case coverage begins July 1, 1999. Ask the Circuit Clerk about older paper, archived or converted records.

8. The record may be expunged

When a qualifying criminal record is expunged, the Circuit Clerk procedural manual says public electronic references are removed and the clerk must respond to inquiries as required by the expungement statutes. A missing public result can therefore be intentional.

9. Contact the clerk

The Magistrate search itself instructs users to validate information with the clerk of the court where the case was filed. WVPASS likewise directs users to the Circuit Clerk when a case may be non-public.

No result is not proof that no case exists. It means only that the particular public search did not return the record under the information and coverage used.

Some West Virginia Court Files Are Confidential or Only Partly Public

West Virginia law and court rules recognize broad public access to ordinary court records, but access can be limited by statute, rule or court order. The current Circuit Clerk procedural manual identifies categories with special restrictions, including Family Court files, juvenile matters and personal safety order proceedings.

For Family Court, public orders and indexes are treated differently from the underlying file. Personal safety order case files are confidential except to authorized people identified by law. Juvenile access has its own rules and should be handled through the responsible clerk rather than through attempts to bypass restrictions.

Sealed and expunged are not the same

A sealed file remains a court record but public access is restricted by law, rule or court order. An expunged criminal record receives different treatment: the current Circuit Clerk procedural manual says that after an expungement is granted, the criminal and expungement files are sealed, public electronic references are deleted, and inquiries are answered according to the governing expungement statutes.

Do not work around a sealed, confidential or expunged record. If you believe you are legally entitled to access a restricted file, follow the clerk’s authorization process or seek legal advice.

How to Read a Same-Name West Virginia Result Safely

A first and last name is not a unique identifier. Before relying on a record, compare the court location, filing date, case type, party role, available birthdate information, charges or claims, and final disposition.

A criminal charge is not proof of conviction.
A preliminary felony matter in Magistrate Court is not the same as the final Circuit Court prosecution.
A civil complaint is not proof that the plaintiff won.
A docket entry is not always the underlying court document.
A scheduled hearing can later be continued or changed.
A same-name match is not proof of identity.

For record terminology, see Court Record Types Explained and the Court Records Glossary.

Consumer-reporting limit: PublicCourtRecords.org is not a consumer reporting agency. Do not use this guide or an informal court search as a substitute for a legally compliant consumer report for employment, housing, credit, insurance, licensing or another eligibility decision. Review the site’s FCRA and Consumer Reporting Notice.

Frequently Asked Questions About West Virginia Court Records

Can I search WV magistrate court records by name for free?

Yes. The West Virginia Judiciary’s Magistrate Case Record Search is free and allows searches by first name, last name or case number across all 55 counties.

Does the WV Magistrate Record Search show actual court documents?

No. It provides case information but not the underlying court documents. Contact the magistrate court clerk in the county where the case was filed to request copies.

How much do magistrate court photocopies cost in West Virginia?

West Virginia’s Administrative Rules for Magistrate Courts state that the clerk charges $0.25 per page for photocopies, except for parties who are authorized to receive court services without cost.

Can I search West Virginia Circuit Court records statewide?

Yes. The West Virginia Judiciary Court Record Access page links a statewide Circuit Court record search covering all 55 counties. Available public circuit documents may be downloadable for a nominal fee by registered users.

Are West Virginia Family Court files public?

Not in the same way as an ordinary public civil file. Family Court orders and indexes are public, but underlying case files such as pleadings, recordings and exhibits are generally restricted to parties and other authorized people.

What if a West Virginia magistrate case does not appear online?

Check the name spelling, case number, county and court level. The case may belong in Circuit, Family, Municipal or another court, may be restricted, or may require direct verification with the clerk.

Where can I find West Virginia Supreme Court case information?

Use the Supreme Court of Appeals opinion pages and current or archived docket pages on the West Virginia Judiciary website. These appellate resources are separate from the Magistrate and Circuit trial-court record searches.

Where do I search a federal court case filed in West Virginia?

Use PACER or the appropriate federal court clerk. Federal district, bankruptcy and appellate records are not part of West Virginia’s state Magistrate or Circuit Court record systems.

What years of West Virginia Circuit Court cases are available in WVPASS?

The current WVPASS FAQ states that public cases filed from July 1, 1999 onward are available. For older Circuit Court files, contact the Circuit Clerk in the county where the case was filed.

How much does WVPASS cost?

Registration and browsing case details are free. Public access users pay $0.25 per page to view or download available court documents. WVPASS downloads are not certified copies.

Where do I search West Virginia municipal court records?

Municipal courts are locally administered and are not part of West Virginia’s unified state court system. Contact the municipal court named on the citation or case paperwork. If the matter was appealed, the Circuit Clerk may hold the Circuit Court appeal record.

Where do I find West Virginia probate or estate records?

Original probate jurisdiction is with county commissions rather than Circuit Court. Start with the County Commission, County Clerk or local fiduciary office for wills and estate administration records, depending on the county’s process.

Official Source Verification

Fact-checked: September 23, 2026. Magistrate search coverage, WVPASS Circuit Court coverage and fees, copy/certification limits, Magistrate Court retention rules, Family Court confidentiality, municipal-court routing, probate jurisdiction, expungement treatment and appellate routes were checked against current West Virginia Judiciary materials and the WVPASS public FAQ.

Independent information notice: PublicCourtRecords.org is not the West Virginia Judiciary, Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia, a Magistrate Court, Circuit Court, Family Court, government agency, law firm, background-check provider or consumer reporting agency. This page is an educational guide to official court-record sources. Courts and clerks control access, privacy, fees, certification, case status and final record availability.