Magistrate court or circuit court: which search to use
West Virginia magistrate and circuit courts keep separate records and use separate online searches. Matching your paperwork to the right court saves a wasted search.
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.
What the Judiciary says each court handles
From the Judiciary’s Information for the Public page:
- Magistrate courts have limited jurisdiction. They hear misdemeanor cases, conduct preliminary examinations in felony cases, hear civil cases with $10,000 or less in dispute, and issue warrants and emergency domestic violence protective orders.
- Circuit courts are the general-jurisdiction trial courts of record. They handle civil cases at law over $7,500, civil cases in equity, all felonies and certain misdemeanors, and appeals from magistrate and municipal courts.
The civil ranges overlap, and a felony can begin with a magistrate preliminary step and then move to circuit court. Use the court name printed on your paperwork rather than guessing from the type of matter.
Which search to try
| Paperwork says | Start with |
|---|---|
| Magistrate Court of [county] | Magistrate record search |
| Circuit Court of [county] | WVPASS circuit search |
| Family Court, municipal court or an appellate court | Contact that court; see Court Information by County |
When a case moves
A matter can appear in both systems: for example, a magistrate preliminary step followed by circuit proceedings, or a magistrate decision appealed to circuit court. Search both, and ask the clerk which court holds the current file.
Limits of this comparison
This is a navigation aid drawn from the Judiciary’s descriptions, not legal advice about where a case should be filed or what a charge means.
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.