Harrison County is located in the north-central part of West Virginia. It was established in 1784 and is now home to more than 65,000 residents. According to the US Census Bureau, Harrison County has a total land area of 416 square miles. Its county seat is in the City of Clarksburg.

Courts in Harrison County

The Circuit Court is the highest court of general jurisdiction in Harrison County. It hears all criminal and civil cases beyond other lesser courts in the county. Felony-related proceedings are exclusive to the Circuit Court. Other civil matters brought before the court include juvenile delinquency, probate cases, and lawsuits involving more than $7,500 in financial disputes. Residents may appeal decisions from Harrison County’s lower courts at the Circuit Court.

In Harrison County, the Magistrate Court typically presides over misdemeanor proceedings and felony pretrials. The lower trial court can also issue arrest and search warrants, record complaints, and set bail in criminal cases. General civil claims in which the monetary disagreement is not more than $10,000 are resolved at the Magistrate Court. The court also has jurisdiction over eviction issues, certain domestic abuse protective orders, and malicious prosecution cases.

Harrison County has a Family Court tasked with handling all types of family-related litigations. Examples of legal proceedings include marriage annulment, divorce, guardianship of minors, paternity, child custody, and child support. There are 10 Municipal Courts in Harrison County. Traffic offenders and municipal ordinance violators are brought before Municipal Courts.

Where to Find Public Court Records in Harrison County

Generally, members of the public can obtain public court records at the clerk of the court where the lawsuit was filed. Designated court clerks in Harrison County are responsible for maintaining and disseminating public court documents. Court documents maintained by court clerks often contain the following information:

• Case dockets
• Court transcripts
• Warrants issued
• Evidence
• Witness lists
• Motions, briefs, petitions, complaints, and plead deals
• Summons and subpoenas
• Court judgements

The Clerk of Circuit Court typically provides access to court records created in the Family and Circuit Court. Requesters can call the Circuit Clerk on 304 624-8710 to make inquiries or locate the clerk to make in-person requests for court documents.

Public court documents created in the Magistrate Court are available online via the Magistrate Record Search. Alternatively, requesters can contact the Magistrate Court Clerk in Harrison County to obtain paper copies. Individuals interested in Municipal Court records can obtain them by visiting the court where the cases were filed.

Types of Public Court Records in Harrison County

Record seekers in Harrison County can have access to the following court records:

• Records of traffic violations and citations
• Family records showing litigations such as child custody, adoption, and guardianship
• Divorce records (Court documents finalizing the dissolution of a marriage, including terms of custody and property division)
• Criminal court records showing documentation of felony and misdemeanor charges, including arrest records.
• Civil records showing small claims cases and civil disputes between individuals or organizations
• Probate records.

Confidential Court Records in Harrison County

Court clerks in Harrison County and other counties in West Virginia do not grant access to confidential court records. Examples of confidential records that violate individuals’ privacies include:

• Clinical records such as mental health evaluations, medical history, and drug abuse history)
• Juvenile records
• Records showing personal identifying information (This includes driver’s license numbers and social security numbers)
• Records showing financial details of record holders
• Sealed records.

Juvenile Delinquency in Harrison, WV

Unfortunately, in many areas of the Harrison County, juvenile delinquency issues are on the rise. There are many reasons for the rise in youth offenders. The juvenile sentence in West Virginia often depends on the severity of the crime, the number of crimes, and other family matters.

In 2017, a total of 391 juvenile cases were reported for every 100,000 people age 10 to adulthood in the jurisdiction of Harrison County. Of that total, 33% of those proceedings were delinquencies which equaled 128 court cases. Another 40% were dependency cases that accounted for 155 of the juvenile cases.

A lot of counties, including, Harrison County, are focusing on family therapy and relationships rather than punishment for juvenile crimes. Future Harrison County juvenile delinquency numbers will show whether or not this approach is working.

Government of Harrison County, WV

https://www.wv.gov/

County Seat:	Clarksburg
Government Type:	County
Authority:	Dillon's Rule
Year Organized:	1784
Total Square Miles:	417
2019 Population:	67,811
Persons/Square Mile:	0.01
County Contact:	301 W Main St County Courthouse Clarksburg , WV 26301-2955 http://www.harrisoncountywv.com

Harrison County, WV Courts