December 5, 2023

Request for Public Comment on proposed amendments to Rules 29.07, 29.08, 29.09, and 29.10 of the

West Virginia Trial Court Rules (Business Court Rules)

Public comments are sought on proposed amendments to Rules 29.07, 29.08, 29.09, and 29.10 of the West Virginia Trial Court Rules (Business Court Rules). The proposed amendments would clarify that business court judges may hold hearings and trials in any county in the state if agreed to by all parties and the presiding judge. The proposed amendments would further allow for arbitration as an alternative dispute resolution in business court cases.

All comments must be filed in writing with the Clerk of Court through File & ServeXpress in No. 22-701 no later than December 22, 2023. 

Click Here to View the Order

9^th Judicial Circuit Court Vacancy

The Judicial Vacancy Advisory Commission is currently receiving applications to fill the judicial vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Derek C. Swope in the 9th Judicial Circuit Court serving Mercer County. Candidates must submit their completed applications and letters of recommendation or comment no later than 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, December 21, 2023.  For more information about the application process, please call the Office of General Counsel at 304-558-2000. Interviews will be held in Charleston on Friday, January 5, 2024.  

Click Here for the Application and Instructions

CLE Reporting Tip

Non-Approved Course Applications and

Written Materials Requirement 

The CLE application for Non-Approved Courses requires at least a sample of the written materials for the course. The application clearly notes that a course must include the distribution of high quality written materials pertaining to the subjects covered. Agendas, course brochures, certificates of completion, session descriptions etc. are NOT high quality written materials pertaining to the subjects covered.  If a course did not include the distribution of actual written materials it should NOT be submitted for CLE credit in WV.

PHV Annual Renewal Fees

How are the annual fees calculated and when does the attorney pay the annual renewal fee?

When an attorney is admitted pro hac vice in a WV civil action, the attorney must pay a fee of $350 to the WV State Bar pursuant to Rule 8 of the WV Rules for Admission to the Practice of Law. A separate fee must be paid for each civil action for which the attorney requests admission. In addition, if the attorney has been admitted for one year or more in one or more civil actions, the attorney must pay an annual fee of three hundred-fifty ($350) in addition to the application fee. The annual fee is charged per lawyer, not per civil action.

For example, if the attorney is admitted in one case on June 19, 2019, the attorney pays the initial $350 PHV admission fee. If that same attorney requests admission in 10 news cases on May 1, 2020, the attorney must pay the initial $350 PHV admission fee per civil action for a total of $3,500. The attorney must then pay one annual renewal fee of $350 by June 19, 2020. The oldest case (June 19, 2019) is the attorney’s annual renewal date and will trigger the annual fee notice. Even if the June 19, 2019 case settles or the attorney withdraws from the case, the June 19, 2019 case remains the oldest case in which the attorney requested and received admission and is still the attorney’s annual renewal date as long as the attorney is admitted PHV in any open civil action.  

The State Bar will send notice in advance of the due date for the annual fee, and will provide notice of the date when the annual fee will become delinquent. Failure to pay the annual fee within thirty days of the due date will result in termination of the attorney’s right to practice law in WV.