| Circuit Clerk | Raleigh County Circuit Clerk |
|---|---|
| County Clerk (probate) | Raleigh County Clerk — Probate Office |
| Clerk address | Circuit Clerk and Magistrate Court Clerk: Raleigh County Judicial Center, 222 Main St, Beckley, WV 25801 (Circuit Clerk mail: PO Box 2518, Beckley, WV 25802). County Clerk (probate and records): Raleigh County Courthouse, 215 Main St, Beckley, WV 25801 |
| Phone | Circuit Clerk (304) 255-9135; Magistrate Court Clerk (304) 255-9197; County Clerk (304) 255-9123; County Clerk Probate Office (304) 252-0161 |
| Hours | Circuit Clerk: Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. County Clerk: Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–4:00 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 |
Raleigh County, centered on Beckley in the southern coalfields, is West Virginia's sixth most populous county and makes up the entire Fourteenth Judicial Circuit, with four circuit judges sitting in one county. Circuit-court files are kept by the Raleigh County Circuit Clerk at the Raleigh County Judicial Center on Main Street. That office is the recordkeeper for both the circuit court and the family court, so felony criminal, civil, divorce, child custody, child support, juvenile, and guardianship files all sit in one place. It also collects court costs, restitution, and bonds, and doubles as a passport acceptance office.
Wills and estates are a separate matter. The Raleigh County Clerk — the clerk of the county commission, a different elected officer housed at the historic courthouse a block away at 215 Main Street — probates wills, appoints executors and administrators, and keeps the estate file. That office also records deeds, liens, judgments, and vital records, and runs a dedicated probate office with its own phone line.
Misdemeanors, civil claims of $20,000 or less, and preliminary felony hearings are heard by Raleigh County's six magistrates, whose clerk's office is also in the Judicial Center at 222 Main Street. Family court for Raleigh is shared with Summers and Wyoming counties as the Thirteenth Family Court Circuit, but Raleigh cases are filed with the Raleigh Circuit Clerk. Statewide, WVPASS covers Raleigh circuit-court cases back to 1999 and the free Magistrate Court Record Search indexes magistrate cases; neither reaches the County Clerk's probate files.
Search Raleigh County court records online
Circuit Clerk
Raleigh County Circuit Clerk
- Cost
- Free public-terminal search at the Judicial Center; 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, divorce, child custody and support, juvenile, and guardianship cases for the Fourteenth Judicial Circuit
- Records
- Civil, Criminal, Family
The Circuit Clerk is the recordkeeper for both the circuit court and the family court. The office also processes passport applications and collects court costs, restitution, and bonds. Mailing address is PO Box 2518, Beckley, WV 25802.
County Clerk (probate)
Raleigh County Clerk — Probate Office
- Cost
- Free to review records in the office; per-page copy and certification fees under W. Va. Code §59-1-10 ($1.50 for the first two pages, $1.00 each additional page, $1.00 to annex the seal)
- Coverage
- Wills, testate and intestate estate administration, ancillary estates, and small-estate affidavits, plus recorded deeds, liens, judgments, and vital records
- Records
- Probate
A separate elected office from the Circuit Clerk, located at the county courthouse rather than the Judicial Center. The probate office has its own line, (304) 252-0161, and its own email; fees for each probate step are set at the time of appointment.
Other courts
Raleigh 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 Raleigh County's six magistrates
- Records
- Criminal, Civil, Traffic
The statewide Magistrate Court Record Search shows an index only. The Magistrate Court Clerk's office is in the Raleigh County Judicial Center, 222 Main Street, Beckley, (304) 255-9197, per the West Virginia Judiciary's Raleigh County page.
What is available online
WVPASS covers Raleigh County circuit-court and family-court case records from 1999 forward; searching is free after registration and documents download for a small per-page charge. The statewide Magistrate Court Record Search returns a free name or case-number index of Raleigh magistrate cases (up to 30 results per search) but no documents. The Raleigh County Clerk's website explains the probate process and posts forms but does not offer an online estate-file search; recorded-document copies are requested in person or by mail. Neither statewide tool covers Beckley Municipal Court tickets.
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
Raleigh County clerk offices
Circuit Clerk and Magistrate Court Clerk: Raleigh County Judicial Center, 222 Main St, Beckley, WV 25801 (Circuit Clerk mail: PO Box 2518, Beckley, WV 25802). County Clerk (probate and records): Raleigh County Courthouse, 215 Main St, Beckley, WV 25801
Phone: Circuit Clerk (304) 255-9135; Magistrate Court Clerk (304) 255-9197; County Clerk (304) 255-9123; County Clerk Probate Office (304) 252-0161
Hours: Circuit Clerk: Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. County Clerk: Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–4:00 p.m.
Circuit-court records (felony, civil, divorce, custody, juvenile). Search WVPASS online, or visit the Circuit Clerk at the Raleigh County Judicial Center, 222 Main Street, Beckley, during business hours for a public-terminal search and same-day copies. By mail, write to PO Box 2518, Beckley, WV 25802 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) 255-9135 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 Raleigh County Clerk's probate office at (304) 252-0161 or visit the courthouse at 215 Main Street, Monday–Friday 8:30 a.m.–4:00 p.m. Estates may be opened with an original will, without a will, by ancillary administration for out-of-state decedents who owned Raleigh County real estate, or by small-estate affidavit where eligible. Copies of wills and estate filings follow the county-clerk fee schedule in W. Va. Code §59-1-10; payment is accepted by cash, check, money order, or credit card.
Magistrate-court records. Look the case up in the free statewide Magistrate Court Record Search, then contact the Raleigh County Magistrate Court Clerk at 222 Main Street, (304) 255-9197, 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 Raleigh County court records online?
Use WVPASS for circuit-court and family-court cases (felonies, civil suits, divorce, custody) from 1999 forward, and the free statewide Magistrate Court Record Search for misdemeanors and small claims. Probate files are not online; contact the Raleigh County Clerk's probate office.
Which office in Beckley has divorce and custody records?
The Raleigh County Circuit Clerk at the Judicial Center, 222 Main Street. Family court for Raleigh, Summers, and Wyoming counties is a separate bench, but the Circuit Clerk is the official recordkeeper for Raleigh County family-court files.
Where do I find a will or estate file in Raleigh County?
At the Raleigh County Clerk's probate office in the courthouse at 215 Main Street, not the Circuit Clerk. Call (304) 252-0161 for probate questions; the general County Clerk line is (304) 255-9123.
How much do copies of Raleigh County court records cost?
Circuit Clerk copies are $1.00 per page under W. Va. Code §59-1-11. County Clerk copies of recorded or probate documents are $1.50 for the first two pages and $1.00 for each additional page, plus $1.00 to annex the clerk's seal for a certified copy, under §59-1-10. Call ahead to confirm the total before mailing payment.
Sources
- Raleigh County Circuit Clerk's Office & Court Records — https://raleighcounty.gov/raleigh-county-circuit-clerks-page/
- Raleigh County Clerk — Probate & Estate Administration — https://raleighcountyclerk.com/probate/
- Raleigh County Clerk — Elections & Records (county government site) — https://raleighcounty.gov/the-clerk-of-the-raleigh-county-commission/
- West Virginia Judiciary — Raleigh County court information — https://www.courtswv.gov/public-resources/court-information-county/raleigh_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.