How Does the West Virginia Family Court Work?

West Virginia Family Courts are trial courts that hear cases involving family matters and domestic relations filed in the West Virginia court system. The state’s court system currently has a total of 47 Family Court judges. Family Court judges are elected to an eight-year term in non-partisan elections, and the elected judge must have practiced West Virginia law for at least five years. If a Family Court judge leaves office before the eight-year term expiration, the State Governor will appoint a replacement judge to complete the term.

Family Courts are spread out among 27 family court circuits in the state, and these courts have jurisdiction over certain types of family and domestic relations cases. Some of these cases include:

• Divorce and annulment cases
• Separate maintenance cases
• Grandparent visitation cases
• Paternity cases
• Cases involving the allocation of parental responsibility
• Family support proceedings that do not involve child abuse and neglect
• Final hearings in domestic violence proceedings

Final orders for Family Court cases are typically issued within 240 days after the filing of the initial pleading. Cases heard in these courts usually do not involve juries, and decisions reached may be appealed in a West Virginia Circuit Court. These decisions can also be appealed directly to the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals in cases where both parties agree to do so.

Parties that wish to obtain copies of West Virginia Family Court records may do so by contacting the Circuit Clerk’s office at the court where the case was filed. Requestors are typically required to pay a fee to process the request. It is important to note that, due to the sensitive nature of Family Court proceedings, access to these records may be restricted. Parties that wish to access confidential records will be required to provide a court order authorizing the requested records’ release.

West Virginia Family Courts can be found at the following locations:

Barbour County Family Court

Barbour County Courthouse

26 North Main Street

Philippi, WV 26416

Phone: (304) 457–3454 ext. 211

Berkeley County Family Court

Berkeley County Judicial Center

380 West South Street

Martinsburg, WV 25401

Phone: (304) 264–1918

Boone County Family Court

Boone County Courthouse

206 Court Street

Madison, WV 25130

Phone: (304) 369–7847

Braxton County Family Court

Braxton County Courthouse

300 Main Street

Sutton, WV 26601

Phone: (304) 765–2837

Brooke County Family Court

Brooke County Courthouse

632 Main Street

P. O. Box 474

Wellsburg, WV 26070

Phone: (304) 737–3662

Cabell County Family Court

Cabell County Courthouse

750 5th Avenue

Huntington, WV 25701

Phone: (304) 526–8622

Calhoun County Family Court

Calhoun County Courthouse

363 Main Street

P. O. Box 266

Grantsville, WV 26147

Phone: (304) 354–6910

Clay County Family Court

Clay County Courthouse

246 Main Street

P. O. Box 129

Clay, WV 25043

Phone: (304) 587–4256

Doddridge County Family Court

Doddridge County Courthouse

118 East Court Street

West Union, WV 26456

Phone: (304) 627–2345

Fayette County Family Court

Fayette County Courthouse

100 North Court Street

Fayetteville, WV 25840

Phone: (304) 574–4249

Gilmer County Family Court

Gilmer County Courthouse

10 Howard Street

Glenville, WV 26351

Phone: (304) 462–7241

Grant County Family Court

5 Highland Avenue

Petersburg, WV 26847

Phone: (304) 257–4545

Greenbrier County Family Court

Greenbrier County Courthouse

200 Court Street North

Lewisburg, WV 24901

Phone: (304) 647–6626

Hampshire County Family Court

Hampshire County Judicial Center

50 South High Street

P. O. Box 343

Romney, WV 26757

Phone: (304) 822–5022

Hancock County Family Court

Hancock County Courthouse

102 North Court Street

P. O. Box 428

New Cumberland, WV 26047

Phone: (304) 564–3311

Hardy County Family Court

Hardy County Courthouse

204 Washington Street

Room 237

Moorefield, WV 26836

Phone: (304) 530–0230

Harrison County Family Court

Harrison County Courthouse

301 West Main Street

Clarksburg, WV 26301

Phone: (304) 624–8640

Jackson County Family Court

Jackson County Courthouse

100 Court Street

P. O. Box 427

Ripley, WV 25271

Phone: (304) 373–2210

Jefferson County Family Court

Jefferson County Old Jail Annex

119 North George Street

P. O. Box 1234

Charles Town, WV 25414

Phone: (304) 728–3231

Kanawha County Family Court

Kanawha County Judicial Building

111 Court Street

Charleston, WV 25301

Phone: (304) 357–0440

Lewis County Family Court

117 Court Avenue

P. O. Box 69

Weston, WV 26452

Phone: (304) 269–8210

Lincoln County Family Court

Lincoln County Courthouse

8000 Court Avenue

Hamlin, WV 25523

Phone: (304) 824–7990 ext. 260

Logan County Family Court

Logan County Courthouse

300 Stratton Street

Logan, WV 25601

Phone: (304) 792–8550

Marion County Family Court

Marion County Courthouse

219 Adams Street

Room 211

Fairmont, WV 26554

Phone: (304) 367–5360

Mason County Family Court

Mason County Courthouse

200 6th Street

Point Pleasant, WV 25550

Phone: (304) 675–4400

McDowell County Family Court

McDowell County Courthouse

90 Wyoming Street

Suite 201

Welch, WV 24801

Phone: (304) 436–8535

Mercer County Family Court

Mercer County Courthouse

1501 Main Street

Princeton, WV 24740

Phone: (304) 487–8323

Mineral County Family Court

Mineral County Judicial Annex

107 West Street

Keyser, WV 26726

Phone: (304) 788–0028

Mingo County Family Court

Mingo County Courthouse

75 East 2nd Avenue

P. O. Box 435

Williamson, WV 25661

Phone: (304) 235–0320

Monongalia County Family Court

Monongalia County Courthouse

243 High Street

Room 110

Morgantown, WV 26505

Phone: (304) 291–7240

Monroe County Family Court

Monroe County Courthouse

216 Main Street

P. O. Box 350

Union, WV 24983

Phone: (304) 772–3017

Morgan County Family Court

Morgan County Courthouse

77 Fairfax Street

Room 302

Berkeley Springs, WV 25411

Phone: (304) 258–8554

Nicholas County Family Court

Nicholas County Courthouse

700 Main Street

Suite 5

Summersville, WV 26651

Phone: (304) 872–7810

Ohio County Family Court

Ohio County Courthouse

1500 Chapline Street

Wheeling, WV 26003

Phone: (304) 234–3611

Pleasants County Family Court

Pleasants County Courthouse

301 Court Lane

St. Marys, WV 26170

Phone: (304) 684–3513

Pendleton County Family Court

Pendleton County Courthouse

100 South Main Street

P. O. Box 846

Franklin, WV 26807

Phone: (304) 358–7067

Pocahontas County Family Court

Pocahontas County Courthouse

900 10th Avenue

Suite D

Marlinton, WV 24954

Phone: (304) 799–4604

Preston County Family Court

Preston County Courthouse

101 West Main Street

Room 301

Kingwood, WV 26537

Phone: (304) 329–0047

Putnam County Family Court

Putnam County Judicial Building

12093 Winfield Road

Winfield, WV 25213

Phone: (304) 586–0203

Raleigh County Family Court

Raleigh County Judicial Center

222 Main Street

Beckley, WV 25801

Phone: (304) 255–9135

Randolph County Family Court

Randolph County Courthouse

2 Randolph Avenue

Elkins, WV 26241

Phone: (304) 636–2765

Ritchie County Family Court

Ritchie County Courthouse

115 East Main Street

Room 301

Harrisville., WV 26362

Phone: (304) 643–2164 ext. 229

Roane County Family Court

Roane County Courthouse

200 Main Street

Spencer, WV 25276

Phone: (304) 927–2750

Summers County Family Court

Summers County Courthouse

120 Ballengee Street

Hinton, WV 25951

Phone: (304) 466–7103

Taylor County Family Court

Taylor County Courthouse

214 West Main Street

Room 104

Grafton, WV 26354

Phone: (304) 265–2480

Tucker County Family Court

Tucker County Courthouse

211 1st Street

Suite 407

Parsons, WV 26287

Phone: (304) 478–2606 ext. 202

Tyler County Family Court

Tyler County Courthouse

121 Main Street

P. O. Box 8

Middlebourne, WV 26149

Phone: (304) 758–4811

Upshur County Family Court

Upshur County Courthouse Annex

38 West Main Street

Buckhannon, WV 26201

Phone: (304) 472–2370

Wayne County Family Court

Wayne County Courthouse

700 Hendricks Street

P. O. Box 38

Wayne, WV 25570

Phone: (304) 272–6360

Webster County Family Court

Webster County Courthouse

2 Court Square

Room G4

Webster Springs, WV 26288

Phone: (304) 847–2421

Wetzel County Family Court

Wetzel County Courthouse

200 Main Street

P. O. Box 263

New Martinsville, WV 26155

Phone: (304) 455–8219

Wirt County Family Court

Wirt County Courthouse

1 Court Street

P. O. Box 465

Elizabeth, WV 26143

Phone: (304) 275–6597

Wood County Family Court

Wood County Judicial Building

2 Government Square

Parkersburg, WV 26101

Phone: (304) 424–1700

Wyoming County Family Court

222 Main Street

Beckley, WV 25801

Phone: (304) 256–6749