RULE 9. CAMERAS IN COURTROOMS
Upon request and with the concurrence of the supervising
circuit judge, the magistrate may permit the quiet and unobtrusive
use of a camera in the courtroom in accordance with the Rules
Governing Camera Coverage of Courtroom Proceedings.
[Effective July 1, 1988; amended effective August 1, 1991.]
RULE 10. APPEARANCE ON BEHALF OF CORPORATIONS
A corporation may appear by any attorney licensed to practice
in this State, and may also appear by any officer or employee of
the corporation. If a non-attorney is employed solely for the
purpose of representing such corporation in legal matters, such person must be a full-time employee of the corporation.
[Effective July 1, 1988.]
RULE 11. COPIES
(a) Photocopies. The clerk shall provide photocopies of
magistrate court records to any person requesting such copies.
With the exception of copies for parties authorized to receive the
services of the court without cost, the clerk shall charge $.25 per
page for each copy. Any request for photocopies that is
unreasonably burdensome in terms of quantity, time, or manner of
photocopying may be denied or delayed.
On or before the tenth day of the month following the month of
their collection, the clerk shall forward to the Administrative
Office, by check payable to the State of West Virginia, all fees
collected for photocopies.
(b) Facsimile Transmissions. The clerk may send or receive
facsimile transmissions involving court-related business. With the
exception of transmissions for parties authorized to receive the
services of the court without cost, the clerk shall charge $2.00
per page transmitted at the request of any person other than a
judicial officer or employee.
On or before the tenth day of the month following the month of
their collection, the clerk shall forward to the Administrative
Office, by check payable to the State of West Virginia, 75 percent of all fees collected for facsimile transmissions, and shall
forward 25 percent of all fees collected for facsimile
transmissions to the sheriff for deposit in the magistrate court
fund.
[Effective July 1, 1988; amended effective September 1, 1996.]
RULE 12. RETENTION OF RECORDS
All records of magistrate courts shall be retained by the
clerk in accordance with the following schedule:
(a) Traffic and Natural Resources Citations. (Except DUI and
driving while revoked for DUI)
(1) Dismissed. Retain all records for 5 years from dismissal,
then destroy all records.
(2) Failure to Appear, No Warrant Issued. After one year from
the issuance of citation, transfer to inactive status; after 5
years from issuance of citation, destroy all records.
(3) Failure to Appear, Warrant Issued but Unexecuted. Treat
as all other misdemeanors, below.
(4) Fine Assessed but Unpaid. After one year from assessment
of fine transfer to inactive status; after 5 years from last
collection effort, destroy all records.
(5) Fine Paid. Retain all records for 5 years after payment,
then destroy.
(b) DUI and Driving While Revoked for DUI. Retain all records permanently.
(c) All Other Misdemeanors.
(1) Dismissed. Retain all records for 10 years from
dismissal, then destroy all records except case history sheet.
(2) Warrant Issued but Unexecuted. After one year from
issuance of warrant, transfer case to inactive status; after 10
years from issuance of warrant, destroy all records except case
history sheet.
(3) Fine Assessed but Unpaid. After one year from last
collection effort, transfer case to inactive status; after 10 years
from last collection effort, destroy all records except case
history sheet.
(4) Fine Paid and Sentence Served. After 10 years from date
of last activity, destroy records except case history sheet.
(5) Appeal. Forward all records to circuit court; retain
photocopy of case history sheet.
(d) Felonies.
(1) Preliminary Hearing, Probable Cause Found. Forward all
records to circuit court; retain photocopy of case history sheet.
(2) Preliminary Hearing, No Probable Cause Found. After 10
years from preliminary hearing, destroy all records except case
history sheet.
(3) Complaint Dismissed Prior to Preliminary Hearing. Retain
all records for 10 years from dismissal, then destroy all records
except case history sheet.
(4) Preliminary Hearing Waived. Retain photocopy of case
history sheet.
(5) Plea to Misdemeanor. Follow retention schedule for
misdemeanor, above.
(e) Civil.
(1) Judgment Dismissing Complaint. After 10 years from
dismissal, destroy all records except case history sheet.
(2) Judgment Awarding Relief. After 10 years from last
activity, destroy all records except case history sheet.
(3) Judgment Appealed. Forward all records to circuit clerk;
retain photocopy of case history sheet.
(f) Fiscal. Two years after receipt of the audit report and
resolution of audit exceptions, destroy all records.
(g) Administrative. Two years after receipt of the audit
report and resolution of audit exceptions, destroy all records
except case indexes and registers.
(h) Miscellaneous Records. Ten years after the receipt of any
other record and the resolution of any matter raised therein,
destroy all records except case history sheets, case indexes, and
registers.
(i) Records Relating to Unresolved Audit Exceptions. All
records relating to unresolved audit exceptions shall be retained
until either two years after the resolution of such exceptions or
in accordance with the above schedules, whichever date is later.
[Effective July 1, 1988.]