| Circuit Clerk | Putnam County Circuit Clerk |
|---|---|
| County Clerk (probate) | Putnam County Clerk — Fiduciary/Probate |
| Clerk address | Putnam County Judicial Building, 12093 Winfield Rd, Winfield, WV 25213 — Circuit Clerk; County Clerk in Suite 3; Magistrate Court Clerk in Suite 15 |
| Phone | Circuit Clerk (304) 586-0203; Magistrate Court Clerk (304) 586-0234 or (304) 586-0270 |
| Hours | Circuit Clerk: Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. County Clerk hours are not posted on its web page; call ahead. |
| 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 |
Putnam County, the fast-growing suburban county between Charleston and Huntington, is West Virginia's ninth most populous county and forms the Seventh Judicial Circuit by itself. Unlike most West Virginia counties, all three of Putnam's record-keeping offices are under one roof: the Putnam County Judicial Building at 12093 Winfield Road in the small county seat of Winfield houses the Circuit Clerk, the County Clerk, and the Magistrate Court Clerk, each in its own suite.
The Putnam County Circuit Clerk is the registrar, recorder, and custodian of all pleadings, documents, and funds in circuit-court cases, and also keeps the family court's files, since Putnam is its own family court circuit (the Twenty-Sixth) and family court has no separate clerk. Felony criminal, civil, divorce, custody, child support, juvenile, and guardianship records are all requested from this office, which also serves as the court's fee officer for filing fees, bonds, and restitution.
Wills and estates are handled by the Putnam County Clerk in Suite 3 of the same building. That office runs fiduciary and probate matters, records deeds, trusts, and liens, keeps birth and death certificates, and administers elections. It publishes a clear copy-fee schedule and offers an online document search for recorded instruments. Misdemeanors, civil claims up to $20,000, and preliminary felony hearings go to the county's three magistrates, whose clerk is in Suite 15. WVPASS covers Putnam circuit-court cases statewide from 1999, and the free Magistrate Court Record Search indexes magistrate cases; probate files at the County Clerk are in neither.
Search Putnam County court records online
Circuit Clerk
Putnam County Circuit Clerk
- Cost
- Free public search at the Judicial Building; 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) case records for the Seventh Judicial Circuit
- Records
- Civil, Criminal, Family
Registrar, recorder, and custodian of circuit-court pleadings and funds, and the court's fee officer. The office publishes its civil and family filing-fee schedule online. Phone and street address are as listed on the West Virginia Judiciary's Putnam County page.
County Clerk (probate)
Putnam County Clerk — Fiduciary/Probate
- Cost
- Copies $1.50 for the first two pages and $1.00 for each additional page; add $1.00 to certify a copy; plat map copies $5.00 (posted fee schedule)
- Coverage
- Wills, estate administration, and fiduciary matters, plus recorded deeds, trusts, liens, and birth, death, and marriage records for Putnam County
- Records
- Probate
Separate office from the Circuit Clerk, in Suite 3 of the Putnam County Judicial Building. Offers an online document search for recorded instruments and e-recording; probate case files are requested from the office directly. Office phone and hours are not posted on the clerk's web page — call the Putnam County Commission if you cannot reach the office.
Other courts
Putnam 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 Putnam County's three magistrates
- Records
- Criminal, Civil, Traffic
The statewide Magistrate Court Record Search shows an index only. The Magistrate Court Clerk's office is at 12093 Winfield Road, Suite 15, Winfield, (304) 586-0234 or (304) 586-0270, per the West Virginia Judiciary's Putnam County page.
What is available online
WVPASS covers Putnam County circuit-court and family-court case records from 1999 forward, free to search after registration with a small per-page fee to download documents. The statewide Magistrate Court Record Search returns a free index of Putnam magistrate cases (up to 30 results per search) but no documents. The Putnam County Clerk offers an online document search for recorded deeds, trusts, and liens, but estate and probate case files must be requested from the office. Tickets from Hurricane, Nitro, and other municipal courts in the county are not in any of these systems.
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
Putnam County clerk offices
Putnam County Judicial Building, 12093 Winfield Rd, Winfield, WV 25213 — Circuit Clerk; County Clerk in Suite 3; Magistrate Court Clerk in Suite 15
Phone: Circuit Clerk (304) 586-0203; Magistrate Court Clerk (304) 586-0234 or (304) 586-0270
Hours: Circuit Clerk: Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. County Clerk hours are not posted on its web page; call ahead.
Circuit-court records (felony, civil, divorce, custody, juvenile). Search WVPASS online, or visit the Circuit Clerk at the Putnam County Judicial Building, 12093 Winfield Road, Winfield, Monday–Friday 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. By mail, write to the Circuit Clerk at that address 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) 586-0203 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 Putnam County Clerk in Suite 3 of the Judicial Building. The clerk's posted fee schedule sets copies at $1.50 for the first two pages and $1.00 for each additional page, with $1.00 added to certify a copy, matching W. Va. Code §59-1-10. Recorded instruments can be reviewed through the office's online document search before you request copies.
Magistrate-court records. Look the case up in the free statewide Magistrate Court Record Search, then contact the Putnam County Magistrate Court Clerk in Suite 15, (304) 586-0234, 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 Putnam 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 documents, but not probate case files, are searchable through the County Clerk's online document search.
Are all Putnam County court offices in one building?
Yes. The Circuit Clerk, County Clerk (Suite 3), and Magistrate Court Clerk (Suite 15) are all in the Putnam County Judicial Building at 12093 Winfield Road in Winfield, along with the circuit, family, and magistrate courtrooms.
How much are copies from the Putnam County Clerk?
The clerk's posted schedule is $1.50 for the first two pages and $1.00 for each additional page, plus $1.00 to certify a copy. Certified birth, death, and marriage certificates and plat map copies have their own set fees.
Which office has my Putnam County divorce or custody case?
The Putnam County Circuit Clerk. Putnam is its own family court circuit, but family court has no separate clerk, so the Circuit Clerk keeps those files.
Sources
- Putnam County Circuit Clerk — https://putnamcountywv.gov/circuit-clerk/
- Putnam County Circuit Clerk — Civil and Family Court Fees — https://putnamcountywv.gov/circuit-clerk/fees/
- Putnam County Clerk's Office — https://putnamcountywv.gov/county-clerk/
- Putnam County Clerk — Recording & Copy Fees — https://putnamcountywv.gov/county-clerk/recording-copy-fees/
- West Virginia Judiciary — Putnam County court information — https://www.courtswv.gov/public-resources/court-information-county/putnam_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 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.