

ENROLLED
H. B. 4273



(By Mr. Speaker, Mr. Kiss, and Delegate Staton)




[Passed March 9, 2002; in effect ninety days from passage
.]
AN ACT
to amend and reenact section two hundred four, article
twenty-seven, chapter forty-eight of the code of West
Virginia, one thousand nine hundred thirty-one, as amended;
and to further amend said article by adding thereto a new
section, designated section three hundred twelve, all relating
to domestic violence; adding "father-in-law" and "mother-in-
law" to the definition of family or household members; and
production of documents pursuant to a subpoena duces tecum.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:

That section two hundred four, article twenty-seven, chapter
forty-eight of the code of West Virginia, one thousand nine hundred
thirty-one, as amended, be amended and reenacted; and that said
article be further amended by adding thereto a new section,
designated section three hundred twelve, all to read as follows:
ARTICLE 27. PREVENTION AND TREATMENT OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
PART 2. DEFINITIONS.
§48-27-204. Family or household members defined.

"Family or household members" means persons who:

(1) Are or were married to each other;

(2) Are or were living together as spouses;

(3) Are or were sexual or intimate partners;

(4) Are or were dating: Provided, That a casual acquaintance
or ordinary fraternization between persons in a business or social
context does not establish a dating relationship;

(5) Are or were residing together in the same household;

(6) Have a child in common regardless of whether they have
ever married or lived together;

(7) Have the following relationships to another person:

(A) Parent;

(B) Stepparent;

(C) Brother or sister;

(D) Half-brother or half-sister;

(E) Stepbrother or stepsister;

(F) Father-in-law or mother-in-law;

(G) Stepfather-in-law or stepmother-in-law;

(H) Child or stepchild;

(I) Daughter-in-law or son-in-law;

(J) Stepdaughter-in-law or stepson-in-law;

(K) Grandparent;

(L) Step grandparent;

(M) Aunt, aunt-in-law or step aunt;

(N) Uncle, uncle-in-law or step uncle;

(O) Niece or nephew;

(P) First or second cousin; or

(8) Have the relationships set forth in paragraphs (A) through
(P), subdivision (7) of this section to a family or household
member, as defined in subdivisions (1) through (6) of this section.
PART 3. PROCEDURE.
§48-27-312.
Production of documents pursuant to a subpoena duces
tecum.
Notwithstanding any provision of law or any procedural rule
to the contrary, any record in a proceeding filed pursuant to this
article shall be supplied to any person presenting a subpoena duces
tecum issued by a state or federal court in any criminal action or
action filed pursuant to this article. Any record in a proceeding
filed pursuant to this article is not subject to disclosure
pursuant to a subpoena if the subpoena was issued in a civil
action. In civil proceedings a court, for good cause shown, may
enter an order permitting a person who is not otherwise permitted
access to a court file to examine and copy records of a proceeding
filed pursuant to this article: Provided, That the court shall
enter such order as may be necessary to protect any document
containing the address or other contact information of a person who filed a petition under this article: Provided, however, That any
records obtained pursuant to the provisions of this section shall
be used only in the context of the case in which the subpoena was
issued and not for any other purpose.