Kanawha County, West Virginia, is home to about 180,745 people, making it the most populous county in the state. The county seat is Charleston, which is also the state’s capital and most populous city.

Courts in Kanawha County

The  Kanawha County court system includes Circuit Courts, Magistrate Courts,  and Family Courts. 

The Circuit Court has general jurisdiction over all civil and criminal cases. Criminal cases adjudicated by Circuit Courts include felonies and misdemeanors. Civil cases adjudicated by Circuit Courts include civil equity claims and general civil claims with more than $300 in dispute. The court also adjudicates probate matters, juvenile delinquency, and child abuse and neglect matters.

The Magistrate Court handles a specific set of civil and criminal cases. It has jurisdiction over misdemeanors and preliminary hearings for all types of crime. It handles civil cases like general claims of less than $5,000 in disputes (excluding interest and costs), landlord-tenant disputes, and some emergency domestic violence protective orders. It also has original jurisdiction over most general civil claims under $300.

The Family Court has jurisdiction over family-related cases, including domestic relations, guardianship, and domestic violence protection. They also handle divorce, annulment, paternity determination, child custody and support, guardianship of minors, and civil domestic violence protection proceedings.

Where to Find Public Court Records in Kanawha County

Records pertaining to the courts in Kanawha County are kept and maintained by the Kanawha County Clerk. To obtain court records in the county,  interested individuals can visit the clerk’s office in person at its location as follows:

Kanawha County Clerk’s Office

409 Virginia Street East

Charleston, WV 25301

Types of Public Court Records in Kanawha County

Kanawha County provides public access to the following types of court records:

• Criminal Court Records: Such as records pertaining to court proceedings for misdemeanors and felonies
• Family Court Records: Such as records pertaining to divorce, adoption, and custody cases
• Civil Court Records: Such as non-criminal disputes like breaches of contract and personal injury cases
• Probate Court Records: Such as records pertaining to wills and documentation of estate assets and liabilities
• Traffic Court Records: Such as records pertaining to traffic violation cases

Confidential Court Records in Kanawha County

It is important to note that while court records are generally accessible to the public in Kanawha County, certain records are designated as confidential, and public access to them is restricted. Court records considered confidential in Kanawha County include:

• Juvenile Records
• Medical Records
• Adoption Records
• Mental Health Records
• Records of Confidential Informants

Additionally, due to privacy concerns, certain sensitive information is usually redacted from court records before it is made public. Examples of such information include:

• Bank Account Details
• Driver’s License Number
• Tax Returns
• Social Security Number.

Juvenile Delinquency in Kanawha, WV

Unfortunately, in many areas of the Kanawha County, juvenile delinquency issues are on the rise. There are many reasons for the rise in youth offenders. The juvenile sentence in West Virginia often depends on the severity of the crime, the number of crimes, and other family matters.

In 2017, a total of 1785 juvenile cases were reported for every 100,000 people age 10 to adulthood in the jurisdiction of Kanawha County. Of that total, 21% of those proceedings were delinquencies which equaled 372 court cases. Another 32% were dependency cases that accounted for 564 of the juvenile cases.

A lot of counties, including, Kanawha County, are focusing on family therapy and relationships rather than punishment for juvenile crimes. Future Kanawha County juvenile delinquency numbers will show whether or not this approach is working.

Government of Kanawha County, WV

https://www.wv.gov/

County Seat:	Charleston
Government Type:	County
Authority:	Dillon's Rule
Year Organized:	1789
Total Square Miles:	911
2019 Population:	183,293
Persons/Square Mile:	0.00
County Contact:	407 Virginia Street, East County Courthouse Charleston , WV 25301-2524 http://www.kanawha.us

Kanawha County, WV Courts