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West Virginia circuit court records through WVPASS

Circuit court records statewide are searchable through WVPASS, the West Virginia Public Access Search System. The Judiciary links to it from its Court Records Access page.

General information only. AnswerSignalApp is not a law firm and this page is not legal advice. It does not describe legal rights, deadlines or outcomes. Agencies change their procedures and fees; the official page is always the authority.

Who holds circuit court records

Each county’s circuit clerk keeps that county’s circuit court files. The Judiciary describes circuit courts as the general-jurisdiction trial courts, handling felonies, larger civil cases and appeals from magistrate courts (Circuit Courts). WVPASS is the Judiciary’s online window into those files; the clerk remains the custodian.

What WVPASS offers, according to the Court

The Supreme Court’s WVPASS launch announcement (PDF) announced WVPASS for all 55 counties beginning March 10, 2025, with publicly available circuit documents dating back to 1999. It states that:

  • Registration is free and searching is free for registered users.
  • Downloading documents carries a 25-cent-per-page charge plus a card processing fee for regular public users.
  • Sealed filings and juvenile cases are not available.

Those terms come from the 2025 announcement. Check the current terms on WVPASS itself before paying; this site does not set or guarantee fees.

How to search

  1. Open the Judiciary’s Court Records Access page and choose Circuit Courts. That link leads to WVPASS circuit court search.
  2. Register as the site directs. Registration is with the Judiciary’s system, not with this site.
  3. Search by the county and information the system accepts, then review the case and document list before buying pages.

Search result vs. certified copy

A downloaded page is a copy of a public filing. If you need a certified copy for an official purpose, ask the circuit clerk in the county where the case was filed; see getting copies of court documents.

If WVPASS shows no match

  • The case may be in magistrate court instead. Use the magistrate record search.
  • The case may be older than the online coverage, sealed, juvenile or otherwise not public.
  • Names and numbers may be entered differently. Contact the circuit clerk through Court Information by County.

This site collects nothing

This page has no search box and no form. Do not send names, case numbers, reports or identity documents to West Virginia Legal Connect; send them only to the official office, and only what it asks for. No lawyer is currently participating and West Virginia legal inquiries are not yet open.