| Circuit Clerk | Kanawha County Circuit Clerk |
|---|---|
| County Clerk (probate) | Kanawha County Commission — Department of Fiduciary & Probate |
| Clerk address | Circuit Clerk: Kanawha County Judicial Building, 111 Court St, Charleston, WV 25301. Fiduciary & Probate: 407 Virginia St E, Charleston, WV 25301 (mail: PO Box 3627, Charleston, WV 25336) |
| Phone | Circuit Clerk (304) 357-0440; Fiduciary & Probate (304) 357-0125; Magistrate Court Clerk (304) 357-0422 |
| Hours | Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. |
| 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 |
Kanawha County, home to Charleston and the state capitol, is West Virginia's largest county and has the state's busiest court system. The Kanawha County Circuit Clerk keeps every circuit-court file: felonies, civil suits, and the family court's divorce, custody, and domestic-violence cases. Its office is inside the Kanawha County Judicial Building on Court Street, a short walk from the county courthouse.
Wills and estates are handled by a different office, the Department of Fiduciary & Probate, which is part of the County Clerk's operation rather than the Circuit Clerk. If you are looking for a will, a letter of administration, or an estate inventory, that is the office to contact, not the circuit clerk.
Kanawha County also has the state's largest magistrate court, with up to ten magistrates, handling misdemeanors, small civil claims, and preliminary felony hearings. Its clerk's office is a separate counter in the same Judicial Building. Statewide, WVPASS covers Kanawha's circuit-court records back to 1999, and the free Magistrate Court Record Search covers magistrate cases, but neither replaces the fiduciary and probate office for estate matters.
Search Kanawha County court records online
Circuit Clerk
Kanawha County Circuit Clerk
- Cost
- Free index search on public terminals; WVPASS available online for a per-page download fee
- Coverage
- Circuit-court felony criminal, civil, and family (divorce, custody, guardianship, juvenile) cases
- Records
- Civil, Criminal, Family
Also handles jury information and the mental hygiene docket. Case records from 1999 forward are searchable through WVPASS.
County Clerk (probate)
Kanawha County Commission — Department of Fiduciary & Probate
- Cost
- Free to review; fees for copies
- Coverage
- Wills, estate administration, guardianship and fiduciary accounting
- Records
- Probate
Appointments are recommended; the office is separate from the Circuit Clerk and handles probate rather than court case files.
Other courts
Kanawha County Magistrate Court Clerk
- Cost
- Free to search the statewide index; nominal per-law copy fee at the clerk's counter
- Coverage
- Misdemeanor, small-claims, and preliminary-hearing records for Kanawha County
- Records
- Criminal, Civil, Traffic
The statewide Magistrate Court Record Search shows an index only; contact the Kanawha County Magistrate Court Clerk (Kanawha County Judicial Building) directly for documents or copies.
What is available online
WVPASS covers Kanawha circuit-court case records from 1999 forward, with documents available for download after free registration and a small per-page charge. The Magistrate Court Record Search covers magistrate cases statewide for free but shows only an index of up to 30 results, not documents. Neither system covers probate or estate files, which are on paper at the Fiduciary & Probate office.
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
Kanawha County clerk offices
Circuit Clerk: Kanawha County Judicial Building, 111 Court St, Charleston, WV 25301. Fiduciary & Probate: 407 Virginia St E, Charleston, WV 25301 (mail: PO Box 3627, Charleston, WV 25336)
Phone: Circuit Clerk (304) 357-0440; Fiduciary & Probate (304) 357-0125; Magistrate Court Clerk (304) 357-0422
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
Circuit-court records. Search WVPASS online, or visit the Circuit Clerk's office at 111 Court St for a free terminal search. Copies can be requested in person or by mail; call ahead to confirm the current per-page fee for plain and certified copies.
Probate and estate records. Contact the Department of Fiduciary & Probate at 407 Virginia St E. Appointments are recommended. The office can provide copies of wills, letters of administration, and estate inventories on file.
Magistrate-court records. Use the statewide Magistrate Court Record Search for a free index lookup, then contact the Kanawha County Magistrate Court Clerk directly for copies of the case file.
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 Kanawha County court records online?
Use WVPASS for circuit-court civil, criminal, and family cases from 1999 forward, or the statewide Magistrate Court Record Search for misdemeanors and small claims. Neither covers probate or estate files.
Where do I find a will or estate file in Kanawha County?
Contact the Kanawha County Department of Fiduciary & Probate, not the Circuit Clerk. It is a separate office that handles wills, estate administration, and guardianships.
Which office has my Kanawha County divorce or custody case?
The Kanawha County Circuit Clerk. Family court cases are heard by a family court judge, but the circuit clerk's office is the official custodian of the case file.
How do I check on a misdemeanor case in Kanawha County?
Use the statewide Magistrate Court Record Search to look up the case by name, then contact the Kanawha County Magistrate Court Clerk for copies of any documents.
Can I get certified copies of Kanawha County court records by mail?
Yes. Write to the specific office that holds the file — Circuit Clerk, Magistrate Court Clerk, or Fiduciary & Probate — with the case details and payment. Call first to confirm the current fee.
Sources
- Kanawha County Circuit Clerk — https://kanawha.us/circuit-clerk/
- Kanawha County Fiduciary & Probate — https://kanawha.us/fiduciary-probate/
- West Virginia Judiciary — Magistrate Court Record Search — https://www.courtswv.gov/lower-courts/magistrate-courts/magistrate-record-search
- Kanawha County official website — https://kanawha.us/
- 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/
- West Virginia Code §59-1-11 — Circuit Clerk fees — https://code.wvlegislature.gov/59-1-11/
See also: all West Virginia counties.