Jefferson County
In the easternmost part of West Virginia, Jefferson County was created in 1801 and named after the third US President, Thomas Jefferson. It has a land area of 210 square miles and as of the 2020 US census, a population of 57,701. Charles Town is its largest city and county seat. Circuit, family, magistrate, and municipal courts serve the people of Jefferson County.
The Jefferson County Circuit Court handles all civil proceedings in equity, civil lawsuits with claims exceeding $300, felonies, and appeals from magistrate and municipal courts. The Jefferson County Magistrate Court has exclusive jurisdiction over civil lawsuits with claims under $300 but also hears civil proceedings with claims up to $5,000. It also handles misdemeanors, preliminary felony hearings, and municipal ordinance violations in incorporated cities where there are no municipal courts. The Magistrate Court also issues arrest warrants, search warrants, complaints for criminal cases, emergency protective orders to victims of domestic violence, and affidavits.
The Jefferson County Family Court hears all domestic relations matters, such as cases involving divorce, annulment, maintenance, paternity, visitation, and child support. Municipal courts in Jefferson County hear violations of municipal ordinances. The five municipal courts in Jefferson County are in Bolivar, Charles Town, Harpers Ferry, Ranson, and Shepherdstown.
Jefferson County public court records are documents, files, and exhibits generated in the county courts and available to the public. It consists of court transcripts, docket listings, writs, judgments, court filings, warrants, motions, legal proceedings, and judgments of the county's courts. The Jefferson County Clerk maintains these records in compliance with state laws and regulations.
Unless sealed by court orders, the following types of court records can be accessed by the public in Jefferson County:
- Criminal Court Records
- Probate Court Records
- Civil Case Records
- Small Claim Case Records
- Domestic Relation Case Records
Record seekers can contact the Jefferson County Clerk at:
Jefferson County Clerk
199 East Washington Street
P.O. Box 208
Charles Town, WV 25414
Phone: (304) 728-3215
In addition, they can search for public court records from the Jefferson County Magistrate Court on the Magistrate Record Search platform.
