| Circuit Clerk | Jefferson County Circuit Clerk |
|---|---|
| County Clerk (probate) | Jefferson County Clerk |
| Clerk address | Circuit Clerk: 119 N. George St, Charles Town, WV 25414 (mail: PO Box 1234, Charles Town, WV 25414). County Clerk: Jefferson County Government Complex, 393 N. Lawrence St, Suite 135, Charles Town, WV 25414. Magistrate Court Clerk: 110 N. George St, Charles Town, WV 25414 (mail: PO Box 607) |
| Phone | Circuit Clerk (304) 728-3231; County Clerk (304) 728-3215; Magistrate Court Clerk (304) 728-3233 ext. 342 |
| Hours | Circuit Clerk: Monday–Friday, 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. County Clerk: Monday–Friday, 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. (courthouse record-room access by appointment only) |
| Earliest records noted | 1999 |
| Plain copy fee | $1.00 per page, prepared by the Circuit Clerk to leave the office (W. Va. Code §59-1-11(b)) |
| Certified copy fee | Set by the clerk — ask when you request |
Jefferson County sits at the eastern tip of West Virginia's Eastern Panhandle, between Maryland and Virginia, and its county seat of Charles Town is home to one of the state's oldest working courthouses. Jefferson is part of the Twenty-Eighth Judicial Circuit, and its circuit-court and family-court files are kept by the Jefferson County Circuit Clerk, whose office is at 119 North George Street, directly behind the historic courthouse. The Circuit Clerk describes the office as the registrar, recorder, and custodian of all pleadings and documents in the circuit and family courts, and it also administers the county's jury system. A public terminal in the office allows searches of case types that are open to the public.
Wills and estates belong to the Jefferson County Clerk, a separate elected office that moved in recent years to the Jefferson County Government Complex at 393 North Lawrence Street. That office handles probate and estate filings, records deeds and vital statistics, and runs elections. Its online Document Inquiry System lets the public review recorded county records remotely, including deed-book images back to 1842, but the office cautions that the official records remain the paper originals at the Government Complex.
Misdemeanors, civil claims up to $20,000, and preliminary felony hearings go to Jefferson County's four magistrates, whose clerk's office is at 110 North George Street. Family court for Jefferson and Berkeley counties together forms the Twenty-Fourth Family Court Circuit; one family judge sits in Charles Town and three in Martinsburg, but Jefferson cases are filed with the Jefferson Circuit Clerk. WVPASS covers Jefferson circuit-court cases statewide from 1999, and the free Magistrate Court Record Search indexes magistrate cases.
Search Jefferson County court records online
Circuit Clerk
Jefferson County Circuit Clerk
- Cost
- Free public-terminal search in the office; WVPASS online after free registration with a per-page download fee; $1.00 per page for clerk-prepared copies (W. Va. Code §59-1-11)
- Coverage
- Circuit-court felony criminal, civil, and family-court (divorce, custody, support, juvenile, guardianship) records, plus mental hygiene filings, for Jefferson County
- Records
- Civil, Criminal, Family
Registrar, recorder, and custodian of all circuit and family court pleadings and documents; also administers the county jury system. A public terminal is available for searching case types open to the public. Mailing address is PO Box 1234, Charles Town, WV 25414.
County Clerk (probate)
Jefferson County Clerk
- Cost
- Free to review in the office and through the online Document Inquiry System; copy and certification fees under W. Va. Code §59-1-10; 2.5% service fee ($2.00 minimum) on credit-card payments
- Coverage
- Probate and estate filings, recorded deeds and other instruments, and vital statistics for Jefferson County
- Records
- Probate
Separate office from the Circuit Clerk, located at the Jefferson County Government Complex, 393 North Lawrence Street, Suite 135. Historical record-room access at the old courthouse is by appointment only while records are moved; the Document Inquiry System provides remote access to recorded documents.
Other courts
Jefferson County Magistrate Court Clerk
- Cost
- Free to search the statewide index; copy fees at the clerk's counter
- Coverage
- Misdemeanor, small-claims (up to $20,000), traffic, and preliminary-hearing records for Jefferson County's four magistrates
- Records
- Criminal, Civil, Traffic
The statewide Magistrate Court Record Search shows an index only. The Magistrate Court Clerk's office is at 110 North George Street (PO Box 607), Charles Town, (304) 728-3233 ext. 342, per the West Virginia Judiciary's Jefferson County page.
What is available online
WVPASS covers Jefferson County circuit-court and family-court case records from 1999 forward, free to search after registration with a small per-page fee for document downloads; the Circuit Clerk's public terminal offers the same case index in person. The statewide Magistrate Court Record Search returns a free index of Jefferson magistrate cases (up to 30 results per search) but no documents. The Jefferson County Clerk's Document Inquiry System provides online images of recorded documents, including unindexed deed books from 1842 to 1919, but the office warns that the online copies are informational and the paper records at the Government Complex are the official version. Municipal tickets from Charles Town, Ranson, Harpers Ferry, Bolivar, and Shepherdstown are handled by those city courts and are in none of these tools.
Which clerk has your record
In West Virginia, the clerk who keeps a file depends on which court heard the case. Check the court name on the case notice, citation, or order, then use the office and coverage details above to identify the record holder. Court names and responsibilities differ by state; a county clerk may not keep court case files. For federal cases, see the PACER guide. The full court structure is on the West Virginia page.
| Court | Typical cases | Records kept by |
|---|---|---|
| Circuit Courts (30 circuits, 55 counties) | Felony criminal cases; Civil cases above the magistrate-court limit; Divorce, custody, and other family cases (as the family court's record custodian) | Circuit Clerk of the county |
| Family Courts | Divorce and annulment; Child custody and support; Domestic violence protective orders | Circuit Clerk of the county (family court has no separate clerk) |
| Magistrate Courts | Misdemeanor criminal cases; Civil claims of $20,000 or less; Preliminary hearings in felony cases | Magistrate Court Clerk of the county |
| Municipal Courts | City ordinance violations; Traffic tickets issued by city police | Municipal court clerk for that city |
Request records in person or by mail
Jefferson County clerk offices
Circuit Clerk: 119 N. George St, Charles Town, WV 25414 (mail: PO Box 1234, Charles Town, WV 25414). County Clerk: Jefferson County Government Complex, 393 N. Lawrence St, Suite 135, Charles Town, WV 25414. Magistrate Court Clerk: 110 N. George St, Charles Town, WV 25414 (mail: PO Box 607)
Phone: Circuit Clerk (304) 728-3231; County Clerk (304) 728-3215; Magistrate Court Clerk (304) 728-3233 ext. 342
Hours: Circuit Clerk: Monday–Friday, 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. County Clerk: Monday–Friday, 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. (courthouse record-room access by appointment only)
Circuit-court records (felony, civil, divorce, custody, juvenile). Search WVPASS online, or visit the Circuit Clerk at 119 North George Street, Charles Town, Monday–Friday 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m., and use the public terminal. The office is directly behind the historic courthouse at the corner of North George and Liberty streets. By mail, write to PO Box 1234, Charles Town, WV 25414 with the case number or party names and year, the documents you need, whether you want plain or certified copies, and a self-addressed stamped envelope; call (304) 728-3231 first to confirm the total. Clerk-prepared copies are $1.00 per page under W. Va. Code §59-1-11.
Probate and estate records. Contact the Jefferson County Clerk at the Government Complex, 393 North Lawrence Street, Suite 135, (304) 728-3215, Monday–Friday 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. Until historical records finish moving from the old courthouse, record-room access there is by appointment only, so call or email ahead. Recorded documents can be reviewed remotely through the Document Inquiry System. Copies follow W. Va. Code §59-1-10 — $1.50 for the first two pages, $1.00 per additional page, and $1.00 to annex the seal — with a 2.5% service fee ($2.00 minimum) on credit-card payments.
Magistrate-court records. Look the case up in the free statewide Magistrate Court Record Search, then contact the Jefferson County Magistrate Court Clerk at 110 North George Street, (304) 728-3233 ext. 342, for copies.
Fees
| Item | Typical cost in West Virginia |
|---|---|
| Plain copy | $1.00 per page, prepared by the Circuit Clerk to leave the office (W. Va. Code §59-1-11(b)) |
| Certified copy | Set by the clerk — ask when you request |
The base per-page copy fee for circuit clerk documents is set by W. Va. Code §59-1-11. Certified copies carry an additional certification fee, and county clerks (probate) and magistrate courts may charge different schedules; none of those additional amounts were confirmed on an official statewide fee schedule, so call the specific clerk before sending payment.
Need a copy an agency will accept? See how to get certified copies of court records.
Sealed and restricted records
West Virginia court records are presumed open, but several categories are not available in public search or index:
The West Virginia guide lists every category of sealed and restricted record, and our guide to expunging or sealing a criminal record explains how to remove one from public view.
Frequently asked questions
How do I search Jefferson County, WV court records online?
Use WVPASS for circuit-court and family-court cases from 1999 forward, and the free statewide Magistrate Court Record Search for misdemeanors and small claims. Recorded county documents, but not court cases, are also viewable through the County Clerk's Document Inquiry System.
Where is the Jefferson County Circuit Clerk located?
At 119 North George Street in Charles Town, directly behind the historic Jefferson County Courthouse at the intersection of North George and Liberty streets. Office hours are Monday–Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Did the Jefferson County Clerk move?
Yes. The County Clerk's office is now at the Jefferson County Government Complex, 393 North Lawrence Street, Suite 135. Record-room access at the old courthouse is by appointment only while historical records are transferred.
Which office has my Jefferson County divorce or custody file?
The Jefferson County Circuit Clerk. Family court for Berkeley and Jefferson counties is a shared circuit with judges in both Charles Town and Martinsburg, but Jefferson County cases are filed and kept by the Jefferson Circuit Clerk.
Sources
- Jefferson County Commission — Circuit Clerk — https://www.jeffersoncountywv.org/county-government/circuit-clerk
- Jefferson County Commission — County Clerk — https://www.jeffersoncountywv.org/county-government/elected-officials/county-clerk
- Jefferson County Clerk — Document Inquiry System — https://www.jeffersoncountywv.org/county-government/elected-officials/document-inquiry-system
- West Virginia Judiciary — Jefferson County court information — https://www.courtswv.gov/public-resources/court-information-county/jefferson_county
- West Virginia Judiciary — Magistrate Court Record Search — https://www.courtswv.gov/lower-courts/magistrate-courts/magistrate-record-search
- West Virginia Code §59-1-11 — Circuit Clerk fees — https://code.wvlegislature.gov/59-1-11/
- West Virginia Code §59-1-10 — County Clerk fees — https://code.wvlegislature.gov/59-1-10/
- West Virginia Judiciary — Lower Courts — https://www.courtswv.gov/lower-courts
- West Virginia Judiciary — Circuit Courts — https://www.courtswv.gov/lower-courts/circuit-courts
- West Virginia Judiciary — Court Record Access (WVPASS and Magistrate Record Search) — https://www.courtswv.gov/court-record-access
- WVPASS (West Virginia Public Access Search System) — https://wvpass.courtswva.com
- Supreme Court of Appeals — Opinions — https://www.courtswv.gov/appellate-courts/supreme-court-of-appeals/opinions
- West Virginia State Police — Criminal Records Section — https://www.wvsp.gov/departments/criminalrecords/Pages/default.aspx
- West Virginia Code §61-11-25 — Expungement (acquittal or dismissal) — https://code.wvlegislature.gov/61-11-25/
- West Virginia Code §61-11-26 — Expungement of certain convictions — https://code.wvlegislature.gov/61-11-26/
See also: all West Virginia counties.