The Brooke County Circuit Clerk’s office is the place to file civil, criminal, and family court cases in the county, request court records, pay court fees, and respond to a jury summons. The office is at 632 Main Street in Wellsburg, West Virginia 26070, and it’s open Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, excluding holidays.1Brooke County, West Virginia. Brooke County Circuit Clerk The courtrooms and judges’ chambers are a short walk away at the Brooke County Judicial Center, 620 Main Street.2West Virginia Judiciary. Brooke County Information
The clerk keeps the official file for every case in Brooke County’s Circuit and Family Court. Complaints, motions, and judges’ orders become part of the record once the clerk accepts and stamps them. The office also collects filing fees and fines, holds funds deposited with the court, and administers jury selection.
Filing a Case or a Response
Before you walk in, have the basics ready: the full legal names of every party, the case number if the matter is already pending, and the correct case type (divorce, civil damages, name change, and so on). The case type determines the filing fee and the docket track, so getting it wrong causes delays.
The West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals publishes free standardized forms for most common filings, including divorce petitions, custody modifications, and protective order requests.3West Virginia Judiciary. Court Forms The court warns that improper use or unauthorized alteration of a form can carry civil or criminal liability. If the forms are confusing and you’re filing without a lawyer, talk to an attorney before you submit anything.
You can file in person or by mail. When the clerk receives your documents, the original and any copies get a file-date stamp showing the exact date the court received them. That stamp controls your deadlines, so bring an extra copy and ask the clerk to stamp it for your records.
Electronic Filing
West Virginia’s Circuit and Family Courts use an e-filing system called CourtPLUS, but access is limited to attorneys with a West Virginia State Bar ID, out-of-state attorneys admitted pro hac vice, government offices such as the prosecuting attorney, and authorized staff filing for those users.4West Virginia Judiciary. West Virginia Circuit and Family Courts E-Filing – About Self-represented litigants aren’t on the eligible list, so if you’re handling your own case, plan to file on paper at the clerk’s office or by mail.
Filing Fees
West Virginia sets circuit court filing fees by statute, so the amounts in Brooke County are the same as everywhere else in the state. The most common fees:
- General civil case: $145 base, plus service costs
- Divorce, annulment, or separate maintenance: $135, plus service costs
- Modification of child custody, visitation, or support: $85
- Expedited child support modification: $35
- Domestic violence protective order: $50
Service of process is extra. Sheriff service costs $25, certified mail with restricted delivery is $10, and first-class mail service is $5. A civil case filed and served by sheriff runs about $170 before any further motions or document requests.
Common document charges include $0.50 per page for photocopies, $5 for an abstract of judgment, $10 for a writ of execution or writ of possession, and $0.50 for a subpoena. Fees are due at filing. Call ahead to confirm which payment methods the office currently accepts, since policies on personal checks and credit card surcharges can change.
If You Can’t Afford the Fees
West Virginia lets you ask the court to waive filing fees, costs, or security if you can’t afford them. The process follows a Supreme Court Administrative Order effective January 1, 2025. You fill out a financial affidavit (Form SCA-C&M201) disclosing income and assets, and a judge decides.5West Virginia Judiciary. Court Forms – Fee Waiver Forms If the court denies your request, Form SCA-C&M202.03 lets you ask a judge to reconsider. Both forms are on the West Virginia Judiciary website.
Getting Court Records and Certified Copies
Records held by the circuit clerk are generally open to the public. You can request copies of filings, orders, and other documents from pending or closed cases. Standard photocopies are $0.50 per page. A certified copy, which carries the clerk’s official seal and is often required by other agencies or courts as proof of authenticity, costs a small certification charge on top of the per-page fee.
Bring the case number if you have it. The clerk can search by party name, but a case number is much faster.
Keep Personal Information Out of the Record
Because court filings become public, don’t include personal identifiers you don’t have to. Federal courts in West Virginia require redaction of Social Security numbers (last four digits only), dates of birth (year only), financial account numbers (last four digits only), and children’s full names (use initials).6United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia. LR Cr P 49.1.1 – Privacy Protection for Filings Made with the Court State circuit courts follow the same general principles. Redaction is the filer’s job, not the clerk’s, so check your documents before you hand them in.
Jury Duty in Brooke County
The circuit clerk runs jury selection. Potential jurors are drawn at random from a master list combining registered voters and licensed drivers, giving every name on the combined list an equal chance of being picked.7West Virginia Judiciary. Jury Information The chief judge orders when and how panels are drawn, and the clerk does the drawing publicly.8West Virginia Legislature. West Virginia Code 52-1-7 – Drawings From the Jury Wheel or Jury Box; Notice of Jury Duty; Penalties
A summons will tell you the date, time, and courtroom. Follow those instructions exactly. The clerk’s office handles juror orientation and tracks attendance during the trial term.
Your Job Is Protected
Your employer cannot fire you, cut your pay as punishment, or threaten you for answering a jury summons or serving on a jury. If an employer retaliates, you can sue, and the court can order reinstatement, back pay, and attorney’s fees. The employer also faces a civil contempt fine between $100 and $500.9West Virginia Legislature. West Virginia Code 52-3-1 – Right of Action for Discrimination Against Employees Summoned for Jury Duty; Penalties One limit worth knowing: West Virginia law doesn’t require your employer to pay your regular wages for time spent at the courthouse.
If you’re called for federal jury duty, 28 U.S.C. ยง 1875 adds further protection: civil penalties up to $5,000 per violation and possible reinstatement with full seniority and benefits.10Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 28 USC 1875 – Protection of Jurors Employment