Hampshire County Court Records
How To Find Court Records in Hampshire County in 2026
Members of the public seeking court records in Hampshire County, West Virginia, may access publicly available case information through several official channels. HampshireRecords.org provides a directory of resources and publicly available information related to court records maintained by Hampshire County courts and the West Virginia judiciary. Depending on the case type and the court involved, records may include civil filings, criminal case information, family court matters, probate proceedings, and magistrate court cases. Access to specific documents may vary based on case status, applicable confidentiality rules, and whether records have been sealed or expunged.
Court records in Hampshire County may be searched through the following methods:
1. Clerk of Court or Court Records Office The Hampshire County Circuit Court Clerk maintains official case files for circuit court matters. Members of the public may visit the clerk's office in person to request access to case files, docket entries, and filed documents. Providing a case number, party name, or approximate filing date assists staff in locating records efficiently.
Hampshire County Circuit Court Clerk
66 N High Street, Room 104
Romney, WV 26757
Phone: (304) 822-5112
West Virginia Judiciary – Hampshire County
2. Courthouse Public Access Terminals Public access terminals are available at the courthouse for in-person case lookups. These terminals allow members of the public to search docket information and case status without charge during regular business hours.
3. Online Court Search The West Virginia Judiciary provides online tools for searching circuit court and magistrate court records statewide. The court record access portal allows users to search circuit court records from all fifty-five counties, including Hampshire County.
4. State-Level Judicial Search Tools The Magistrate Case Record Search tool enables searches of magistrate court case information statewide. Users may search by party name, case number, or other identifiers. The West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals notes that the system does not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of information provided, and users requiring certified copies or official documentation are directed to contact the relevant clerk's office.
5. Written or Mail Requests Members of the public may submit written requests to the Hampshire County Circuit Court Clerk for copies of specific records. Requests should include the case number or party names, the type of record sought, and any applicable fees. Certified copies require payment of the applicable fee per page as established under West Virginia court fee schedules.
Are Court Records Public In Hampshire County
Court records in Hampshire County are subject to the public access provisions of West Virginia law. Under W. Va. Code § 29B-1-1 et seq., the West Virginia Freedom of Information Act, public records maintained by government bodies are presumptively open to inspection by members of the public. Court records are further governed by the West Virginia Rules of Practice and Procedure and administrative orders issued by the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia.
Records that are generally public include:
- Docket entries and case indexes
- Party names and case numbers
- Hearing dates and court calendars
- Filed pleadings, motions, and orders
- Final judgments and sentencing entries
- Probate filings and estate inventories
Records that may be confidential, sealed, or restricted include:
- Juvenile court records, which are protected under W. Va. Code § 49-4-716
- Adoption records and related proceedings
- Mental health commitment records
- Sealed filings ordered by the court
- Expunged criminal records
- Protected personal identifiers such as Social Security numbers, financial account numbers, and dates of birth in certain filings
A distinction exists between courthouse inspection and online access. While docket information and case indexes are available through online judicial search tools, full document images may not be accessible remotely for all case types. Certain records available for in-person inspection at the clerk's office may not appear in online search systems.
What Are Court Records in Hampshire County?
Court records are the official documents, filings, and entries created and maintained by a court in connection with judicial proceedings. In Hampshire County, court records are maintained by the Circuit Court Clerk for circuit court matters and by the Magistrate Court Clerk for magistrate-level cases. The West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals maintains appellate records at the state level.
A docket entry is a chronological log of actions taken in a case, while a full case file includes all documents filed with the court, such as complaints, answers, motions, exhibits, orders, and judgments. Civil court records document disputes between private parties or between a party and a government entity, while criminal court records document prosecutions brought by the State of West Virginia against individuals charged with offenses.
Filed pleadings are the initial and responsive documents submitted by parties, whereas final judgments represent the court's conclusive resolution of a matter. Public filings are accessible to members of the public under applicable law, while sealed or restricted filings are withheld from public access by court order or statute. Trial court records originate in the circuit or magistrate court, while appellate records are created when a party seeks review by the West Virginia Intermediate Court of Appeals or the Supreme Court of Appeals.
Court records are created at the time of filing and updated continuously as the case progresses through hearings, motions, orders, and final disposition. Upon conclusion of a case, records are retained by the clerk's office in accordance with applicable judicial retention schedules.
What's Included in a Hampshire County Court Record?
A court record in Hampshire County may include a range of documents and data entries depending on the case type, the court involved, and applicable public-access rules. The following information may appear within a court record:
- Case number assigned at the time of filing
- Court name and division, such as Circuit Court, Family Court, or Magistrate Court
- Filing date and case initiation information
- Party names, including plaintiffs, defendants, petitioners, respondents, and counsel of record
- Case type and current status, such as active, disposed, or appealed
- Docket entries reflecting each action taken in the case
- Hearing dates, continuances, and scheduling orders
- Motions, complaints, petitions, answers, orders, judgments, notices, minute entries, decrees, and similar filed documents
- Outcome information, including dismissals, verdicts, guilty pleas, convictions, sentencing entries, custody rulings, probate orders, or appellate decisions
- Administrative and financial information, such as filing fees, assessed costs, fines, restitution amounts, and bond information where publicly shown
Certain information is excluded or restricted from public court records. Sealed filings, expunged matters, juvenile case files, adoption records, and protected personal data such as Social Security numbers and financial account numbers are not accessible to the general public. Some exhibits, particularly those containing sensitive personal information or subject to protective orders, may also be withheld from public inspection.
Types of Courts in Hampshire County
Hampshire County is served by several courts operating within the West Virginia state judiciary system. According to the West Virginia Judiciary's Hampshire County information page, Hampshire County is part of the Twenty-Sixth Judicial Circuit, which also includes Hardy and Pendleton Counties. In Family Court, Hampshire County is grouped with Mineral and Morgan Counties.
The courts currently serving Hampshire County include:
- Circuit Court (Twenty-Sixth Judicial Circuit): The court of general jurisdiction handling felony criminal cases, civil matters exceeding the magistrate court's jurisdictional limit, family law matters, and appeals from magistrate court. The Circuit Court Clerk maintains official records for all circuit court proceedings.
- Family Court: Handles divorce, legal separation, child custody, child support, and domestic relations matters. Hampshire County's Family Court judge also serves Mineral and Morgan Counties.
- Magistrate Court: A court of limited jurisdiction handling misdemeanor criminal cases, civil claims up to $10,000, small claims matters, and preliminary hearings in felony cases. The Magistrate Record Search tool provides online access to magistrate case information statewide.
- Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia: The court of last resort, which hears appeals from circuit courts statewide. Appellate records are maintained at the state level.
What Types of Cases Do Hampshire County Courts Hear
Hampshire County courts hear a broad range of case types across their respective jurisdictions:
- Criminal cases: Felonies are heard in Circuit Court; misdemeanors and preliminary hearings are handled by Magistrate Court.
- Civil cases: General civil matters are heard in Circuit Court; claims within the magistrate court's monetary limit are heard at the magistrate level.
- Family law: Divorce, custody, support, and domestic relations matters are heard in Family Court.
- Juvenile matters: Juvenile delinquency and abuse and neglect cases are heard in Circuit Court under confidentiality protections.
- Probate: Estate administration, wills, and guardianship matters are handled through the Circuit Court.
- Traffic: Traffic infractions and related matters are handled at the magistrate court level.
- Appeals: Appeals from magistrate court decisions are heard by the Circuit Court.
How to Search Hampshire County Court Records for Free?
Several methods for searching Hampshire County court records are available at no cost to members of the public.
Free access methods include:
- In-person inspection at the Hampshire County Circuit Court Clerk's office or Magistrate Court Clerk's office during regular business hours, at no charge for viewing records
- Courthouse public access terminals, available during business hours for searching docket information without charge
- Online circuit court record search through the West Virginia court record access portal, which provides free case index and docket searches
- Magistrate court case searches through the Magistrate Case Record Search system, available at no cost
Fees apply for the following:
| Service | Approximate Fee |
|---|---|
| Standard copy per page | $0.50 per page |
| Certified copy | $1.00 per page plus certification fee |
| Exemplified copy | Additional fee per court schedule |
| Research by clerk staff | Variable, per clerk fee schedule |
Fee schedules for West Virginia court clerks are established under W. Va. Code § 59-1-10, which governs fees charged by circuit court clerks. Members of the public who require only case status or docket information may access that information without charge through online tools or in-person terminal access.
How Long Does Hampshire County Keep Court Records?
Court records in Hampshire County are retained in accordance with judicial retention schedules established by the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals. Retention periods vary by case type and record category.
"The West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals has established records retention schedules that govern how long court records must be maintained by clerks of court across the state," as reflected in administrative guidance issued by the Court's Administrative Office.
Retention periods under current judicial policy include the following general categories:
- Criminal felony records: Retained permanently or for extended periods given the nature of the proceedings
- Civil judgment records: Retained for the life of the judgment and applicable renewal periods
- Probate records: Many probate records, including wills and estate inventories, are retained permanently
- Traffic and minor misdemeanor records: Subject to shorter retention schedules, which may vary
- Docket books and minute records: Retained permanently as the official record of court proceedings
- Family court records: Retained for extended periods given ongoing custody and support enforcement needs
Paper files may be transferred to microfilm, digital imaging, or archival storage after a defined period. Destruction of records is permitted only after the applicable retention period has elapsed and in accordance with approved disposal procedures. Sealing, redaction, and expungement are distinct from destruction: sealed records remain in existence but are withheld from public access; expunged records are removed from public availability under court order pursuant to applicable statute. Older records, particularly those predating electronic filing systems, may exist in paper form, microfilm, or county archives and may require an in-person request to access.
How To Find a Court Docket in Hampshire County
A court docket is the official chronological record of all actions taken in a specific case, distinct from the full case file. While a full case file contains the actual documents filed by parties and the court, a docket lists each filing, hearing, order, and event by date and description. Dockets serve as the index to a case file and provide a summary of case history and current status.
Members of the public may access Hampshire County court dockets through the following channels:
- Online circuit court search: The West Virginia court record access portal allows users to search circuit court dockets from all fifty-five counties. Users may search by party name or case number to retrieve docket entries.
- Magistrate court dockets: The Magistrate Case Record Search system provides docket-level information for magistrate court cases statewide, including Hampshire County.
- Courthouse public terminals: In-person terminals at the Hampshire County Courthouse allow members of the public to search and view docket entries during business hours.
- Clerk's office request: The Circuit Court Clerk can provide docket sheets upon request, either in person or by written request.
A court docket entry may include the filing date, document title, party who filed, and any court action taken. Dockets do not include the full text of filed documents unless the court's electronic system provides document images. Sealed entries, confidential filings, and restricted case information do not appear on publicly accessible dockets. Hearing calendars and daily court schedules may be separately available through the clerk's office or posted at the courthouse.
As noted by the West Virginia Judiciary, "Users are instructed to call or visit the magistrate court clerk in the county where a case is filed to obtain copies of specific court records," reflecting the distinction between docket-level online access and full document retrieval, which requires direct contact with the clerk's office.