View Changes And Revision History Of Legal West Virginia Minors Forms For Free

However, West Virginia does not have a central repository for court records, unlike other states. Instead, you will need to contact the court clerk in the county where the case was filed to obtain copies of court records.

Custody orders stay in place until a child reaches 18 or is emancipated. A judge may order a visitation or custody arrangement that doesn't align with a child's preference. For example, a child may not want to have visits with an estranged parent. There's no set age when a child can refuse visitation.

To voluntarily terminate parental rights, the parent must make the termination in writing. The termination must also be free from duress and fraud (W.Va. Code § 49-4-607). A circuit court hearing may be held to make sure that no duress or fraud was committed when signing the writing.

Abandonment defined. "Abandonment" means any conduct by the birth mother, legal father, determined father, outsider father, unknown father or putative father that demonstrates a settled purpose to forego all duties and relinquish all parental claims to the child.

(2) Fails to visit or otherwise communicate with the child when he or she knows where the child resides, is physically and financially able to do so and is not prevented from doing so by the person or authorized agency having the care or custody of the child: Provided, That such failure to act continues uninterrupted ...

You should file the petition in the circuit court or family court in the county where the minor has lived for one year prior to filing or where the minor was born. You can find an interactive map of the courts by county at: .