Beginning next month, West Virginia residents will be able to access circuit court records from the comfort of their own homes.
That is because the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia announced Monday it would make circuit court records from across the state accessible online, beginning March 10.
Currently, residents must visit their local courthouse in person to access circuit court records. But the digital West Virginia Public Access Search System will soon include all circuit court documents filed from 1999 onwards.
Registration to access the system is free, and documents can be downloaded for 25 cents per page, plus “a nominal credit [or] debit card processing fee” according to a Monday Supreme Court press release.
Supreme Court Justice C. Haley Bunn said the digitization reflects the judicial system’s commitment to being “as transparent and accessible to the public as possible.”
“Beginning next month, our citizens will be able to search and download public civil and criminal case information dating back to the turn of the century from the convenience of their computer or mobile device,” she said in Monday’s press release. This will bypass “the need to go to a courthouse and search for records in person.”
Court filings “under seal and juvenile cases” will not be available, the press release said.
Last year, the state’s Supreme Court launched a similar program for the state’s magistrate courts, also accessible online. The Supreme Court aims to expand its online record system to the appellate courts in the future.
“The court is proud to announce the launch of this long-awaited system that will bring county circuit court records into the digital age,” Chief Justice Bill Wooton said in the press release. “Online access to court records is an essential public service, and I want to thank all parties involved for their commitment to making this a reality.”
Residents can access digital records from the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia at the court’s website.