Information
304-728-3213

Jury Phone Line
304-725-3544

Fax
304-728-3398

Mailing Address
P.O Box 1234
Charles Town, WV 25414

Location
110 North George Street
Charles Town, WV 25414

Hours
9:00 am - 5:00 pm - Monday - Friday

The Clerk of the Circuit Court is a full-time elective office as authorized by Article 8, Section 9 of the West Virginia Constitution. Duties, responsibilities, compensation are set by statute.

The Circuit Clerk is elected in each county to carry out administrative functions and to act as record-keeper for circuit court and family court actions in that county. While the Circuit Clerk is an independently elected official with autonomy to establish any procedures or policy necessary to carry out statutory responsibilities, cooperation and communication with all entities and agencies that comprise the justice system is essential.

The Circuit Clerk is the registrar, recorder and custodian of all pleadings, documents and funds pertaining to cases filed in the circuit and family courts.

Duties include:

Recording and maintaining records in all Circuit Court and Family Court proceedings.

Types of cases include:

• Civil cases

• Criminal cases

• Divorce and Domestic Violence

• Child custody and support

• Adoptions

• Guardianship and conservator cases

• Mental health

• Juvenile delinquency

• Juvenile neglect and abuse cases

• Appeals from the magistrate court

• Eminent domain

The Circuit Clerk also serves as the Clerk to the Circuit and Family Court and prepares the record in cases that are appealed to the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals from the Circuit Court and Family Court.

Other duties include:

• Jury selection and administration of juror lists including payment for service

• Provides jury panels for magistrate and municipal courts

• Witness management

• Issue final process to enforce and execute judgments

• Appoint a guardian ad litem where required

• Serves as custodian of all records, pleading and documents in cases filed in the Circuit and Family Courts

• Serves a Fee Officer for the Court

• Report statistics to various governmental agencies

• Appoints, trains and oversees a staff of deputy clerks

• Prepares a yearly budget and is responsible for the fiscal management of funds

• Prepares monthly financial reports

• Collects and distributes fees collected during the month to various state and local agencies

As record keeper and fee officer, the clerk’s duties are ministerial in that the duties are prescribed by statute, order, rule or other directive and are absolute, certain and required. The clerk has no discretion as to the performance of the duties; those duties must be executed. The clerk may exercise administrative judgement as to the most efficient and effective way to perform or accomplish the ministerial duties.

Passport Information