Attorney in Westvirginia, WV
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Steven Jordan
West Virginia State Records
Charleston WV   
WestvirginiaWV 24701
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Practice Information
Why West Virginia Court Records are Available to the Public

In 1992, the West Virginia State Legislature passed a law named the West Virginia Freedom of Information Act. This law enabled the last changes in 2001 and aims to make sure disclosure of court records and other public records to the public.
What Court Records Access Means To You?

The law is similar to the West Virginia Open Meeting Law which legislates the methods by which public meetings are held. The West Virginia Freedom of Information Act intent is that all records maintained by state and local government entities be available for public access and copying.
Accountability to the Public

When the legislature enacted West Virginia Freedom of Information Act, it expressively declared that access to information about the conduct of the people’s business is a fundamental and necessary right of every person in this state, §29B-1-1. Declaration of policy. Indeed, in West Virginia, access to the government and court records, in particular, a fundamental interest in citizenship and has emphasized that maxim disclosure of the conduct of governmental operations act.

By promoting prompt public access to government records, the West Virginia Freedom of Information Act is to safeguard the government's accountability to the public.
How the West Virginia Court Process Functions?

Most cases in West Virginia courts begin in one of the 55 superior or trial courts in the state’s 55 counties.

The next level of judicial authority resides with the Court of Appeals. Most cases before the Court of Appeals involves the review of a superior court decision being contested by a party involved in the case.

The Supreme Court of Appeal serves as the highest court in the state and has the discretion to check decisions of the Court of Appeals to settle important questions of law and to resolve conflicts among the Court of Appeals.
Some differences between Civil Court and Small Claims Court below
Practice Areas
 Legal Services
 Abuse (Child, Domestic, Sexual)
 Agencies & Administration
 Auto (Speeding, Traffic)
 Auto (Accidents, Insurance)
 Banking (Business, Mortgage)
 Bankruptcy
 Business Law
 Children (Custody, Support)
 Class Actions (Drugs, Products)
 Commercial Law and Contracts
 Commercial Real Estate
 Commerical Litigation
 Construction (Accidents, Disputes)
 Contract Disputes
 COVID-19-Related Legal Help
 Credit (Collections, Rights)
 Criminal Law
 Discrimination/Harassment
 Divorce
 Eminent Domain/Condemnation
 Employment Law
 Entertainment & Media
 Environmental Law/Zoning
 Family Law
 Financing & Taxes
 Health Care & Insurance
 Injuries & Accidents
 Insurance
 Investments (Securities, IPOs)
 Juveniles
 Landlord/Tenant
 Medical Malpractice
 Motor Vehicle Accidents
 Negligence
 Malpractice - Professional
 Mediation
 Online / Video Legal Consultation
 Parents (Elder Law, Medicare, SSI)
 Patents, Copyrights, Trademarks
 Pay and Benefits
 Personal Injury
 Probate & Contested Wills
 Product Liability
 Real Estate/Property
 Social Security
 Taxes
 Transportation
 Unions
 Immigration, Visas, Citizenship, Deportation
 White Collar Crime
 Workers' Compensation
 Wrongful Death
 Wrongful Termination
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Nearby Cities
 Bastian, VA  Montcalm, WV
 Bluefield, VA  Nemours, WV
 Bluefield, WV  Pocahontas, VA
 Boissevain, VA  Princeton, WV
 Bramwell, WV  Rock, WV
 Falls Mills, VA  Rocky Gap, VA
 Freeman, WV  Wolfe, WV
 Maybeury, WV
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