Kanawha County Court Records Lookup

The following is for information purposes only

Kanawha County was created in 1789 and named after the Kanawha River. It spans a total land area of 901.7 square miles. With an estimated population of 179,895, the county is the most populous in West Virginia. Charleston, the most populous city, serves as both its county seat and the state's capital. The Kanawha County court system comprises the Circuit and Magistrate Courts. These courts handle a wide range of legal issues, including domestic relations disputes, probate, criminal, and civil cases, which are essential to maintaining peace and order in the county.

Kanawha County Circuit Court, located in Charleston, is the highest trial court in the county. It has general jurisdiction over all criminal cases, such as felony and misdemeanor offenses. It also handles civil cases in equity and claims in which the amount in disputes exceeds $300. Likewise, domestic relations cases, probation and writ of habeas corpus, prohibition, mandamus, quo warranto, and certiorari are within its purview. The court serves as an Appellate Court tasked with handling appeals from the Magistrate Courts. Kanawha County's Magistrate Courts handle misdemeanors and conduct preliminary hearings in felony cases. Civil claims in which the amount in dispute is less than $10,000 are within their jurisdictions.

Kanawha County has a crime rate of 28.94 per 1,000 residents in a standard year, and the Kanawha County Circuit Court handles over 3,612 cases annually. The Kanawha County Circuit Court Clerk maintains the court records for the Circuit Court, while Clerks of the Municipal Courts maintain their court records. Members of the public can visit the Clerks' Offices to inspect and request non-confidential court records. They can also find Magistrate Court public records on the West Virginia judiciary records search portal. However, certain court records in Kanawha County are sealed under state law or by court orders for the interest of justice, privacy concerns or to protect sensitive information. Access to these court records is restricted to authorized individuals and requires court orders as such, they are not available for general viewing. In Kanawha County, sealed court documents include those on mental health, adoption, information about jurors, personal identifiers, juveniles, and records of victims of domestic or sexual abuse.

In summary, Kanawhas County's court system ensures equitable resolution of disputes to defend the rights of the county's residents. They put their expertise and good judgment to use in the implementation and observance of state and municipal laws as well as judicial procedures. Public confidence in the legal system is bolstered by the open handling of court documents that guarantee transparency and accessibility.