Which West Virginia court hears your civil case
Civil jurisdiction thresholds with statutory authority. Source: 1Court Directory, verified 2026-08-20 (official source).
| Tier | Court | Amount in controversy | Authority |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small claims | Magistrate Court Eff. 2025-07 (raised from $10,000); unlimited for landlord-tenant possession. | Up to $20,000 | W. Va. Code § 50-2-1 |
| General civil | Circuit Court Over $20,000. | No limit | W. Va. Code § 51-2-2 |
Answer deadline after service
A defendant generally has 30 days after service of the summons and complaint to file an answer (W. Va. R. Civ. P. 12(a)(1)(A)).
Estimates from the statutory answer period; service-method extensions and local rules can change these dates. Verify before relying on them. Not legal advice.
17 West Virginia forms SimpleCase prepares
Generated from your uploaded complaint, with captions and terminology matched to West Virginia practice. Every document is a draft for attorney review.
- Notice of Appearance(pattern) Appearance of counsel; service on undersigned requested
- Motion for Continuance(pattern) Good-cause continuance with proposed order
- Notice of Deposition(pattern) Oral deposition with optional duces tecum; recording method per rule
- Civil Subpoena(pattern) Testimony and/or production (duces tecum); issuance and witness-fee rules vary
- Answer(pattern) Responsive pleading: denials and affirmative defenses
- Satisfaction of Judgment(pattern) acknowledgment of satisfaction for entry on the docket
- SummonsW. Va. R. Civ. P. 4 / 12(a)(1)(A): 30-day answer
- Civil Case Information StatementWV Circuit Court: required with complaint
- Return of ServiceW. Va. R. Civ. P. 4: proof of service
- Financial Affidavit and Application for Waiver of FeesW. Va. Code § 59-2-1: fee waiver
- Notice of Voluntary DismissalW. Va. R. Civ. P. 41(a): voluntary dismissal
- Motion for Default JudgmentW. Va. R. Civ. P. 55(a)-(b): 30-day default
- Affidavit of Non-Military ServiceSCRA: 50 U.S.C. § 3931
- Default Judgment OrderW. Va. R. Civ. P. 55(b): interest per W. Va. Code § 56-6-31
- Suggestee ExecutionW. Va. Code § 38-5B: 80% wages / 50x fed min wage exempt
- Suggestion of Personal PropertyW. Va. Code § 38-5A: bank accounts & third parties
- Interrogatories to Judgment DebtorW. Va. R. Civ. P. 69: post-judgment asset discovery
Filing packages
One click assembles the forms a West Virginia matter typically needs at each stage.
General Civil
Summons · Civil Case Information Statement · Return of Service
Collections: File & Serve
Summons · Civil Case Information Statement · Return of Service
Collections: Default Judgment
Motion for Default Judgment · Affidavit of Non-Military Service · Default Judgment Order
Collections: Enforce Judgment
Satisfaction of Judgment · Suggestee Execution · Suggestion of Personal Property · Interrogatories to Judgment Debtor
Fee Waiver
Financial Affidavit and Application for Waiver of Fees
Voluntary Dismissal
Notice of Voluntary Dismissal
County-level court details
Filing fees, clerk contacts, e-filing portals, and courthouse addresses for every West Virginia county are in the 1Court Directory: West Virginia.
How it works
Upload your case document
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Every required form, filled and assembled as a ZIP, ready for attorney review and filing.
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Try SimpleCase freeSimpleCase prepares document drafts for attorney review; it is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice, and no attorney-client relationship is created by using it. Court data on this page is sourced from the 1Court Directory with the verification date shown, and statutes and court rules change: always confirm current requirements, deadlines, and fees with the clerk of the court before filing.