Logan County Public Records /Logan County Court Records

Logan County Court Records

How To Find Court Records in Logan County in 2026

Members of the public seeking court records in Logan County, West Virginia, may access publicly available case information through several official channels. LoganCountyRecords.us provides access to publicly available information related to court records, property records, and other official documents maintained by county and state agencies. Depending on the case type and the court in which a matter was filed, records may include civil case filings, criminal case dispositions, family court orders, probate proceedings, magistrate court decisions, and traffic citations.

Court records in Logan County may be searched through the following five methods:

Clerk of Court or Court Records Office — The Circuit Clerk of Logan County maintains official case files for circuit court matters, including felony criminal cases, civil actions, and family court proceedings. Members of the public may visit the clerk's office in person to request access to case files. Providing the full name of a party, a case number, or the approximate filing date assists staff in locating records efficiently.
Courthouse Public Access Terminals — Public access computer terminals are available at the Logan County Courthouse for in-person case lookups. These terminals allow members of the public to search docket information without staff assistance during regular business hours.
Online Court Search — The West Virginia Judiciary maintains a statewide court record access portal that allows users to search circuit court records from all fifty-five counties, including Logan County. Case information available through this portal includes party names, case numbers, filing dates, and hearing schedules.
State-Level Judicial Search Tools — Magistrate court case information is searchable through the Magistrate Case Record Search maintained by the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia. This tool covers magistrate-level civil and criminal matters. As noted in the system's disclaimer, "The Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia makes no representation as to the accuracy or completeness of the information provided."
Written or Mail Requests — Members of the public who are unable to appear in person may submit written requests to the Circuit Clerk's office. Requests should include the case number or party name, the type of record sought, and a return mailing address. Fees for copies apply and must be submitted with the request.

Logan County Circuit Clerk's Office
300 Stratton Street
Logan, WV 25601
Phone: (304) 792-8600
Logan County Information – West Virginia Judiciary

Are Court Records Public In Logan County

Court records in Logan County are subject to the public access provisions established under West Virginia Code § 29B-1-1 et seq., the West Virginia Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), as well as the Rules of Practice and Procedure for West Virginia Trial Courts. Under current law, the majority of court records filed in circuit, magistrate, and family courts are presumptively open to public inspection.

Records that are public include:

Docket entries and case summaries
Party names (plaintiff, defendant, petitioner, respondent)
Scheduled hearing dates and continuances
Filed motions, complaints, and petitions
Court orders and final judgments
Sentencing entries and disposition records

Records that may be confidential, sealed, redacted, or restricted include:

Juvenile delinquency and status offense records
Adoption proceedings and related filings
Mental hygiene and involuntary commitment records
Expunged criminal records
Sealed filings ordered by the court
Protected personal identifiers such as Social Security numbers, financial account numbers, and dates of birth, which are subject to redaction under West Virginia Trial Court Rule 10.01

There is a distinction between courthouse inspection and online access. While physical case files may be inspected at the clerk's office, not all documents available in person are reproduced in online search portals. Certain older records, sealed matters, and exhibits may be accessible only through an in-person visit or a formal written request.

What Are Court Records in Logan County?

Court records are the official documents, filings, and entries created and maintained by a court in connection with a legal proceeding. In Logan County, court records are generated from the moment a case is initiated — through the filing of a complaint, petition, indictment, or citation — and continue to be updated through each stage of litigation, including hearings, motions, orders, and final disposition.

A docket entry is a chronological log of all actions taken in a case, while a full case file contains the actual documents filed by parties and issued by the court. Civil court records document disputes between private parties or between a party and a government entity, while criminal court records document proceedings initiated by the State of West Virginia against an individual charged with a violation of law. Filed pleadings represent the initial and responsive documents submitted by parties, whereas final judgments represent the court's conclusive resolution of the matter.

Public filings are those accessible to any member of the public under applicable law, while sealed or restricted filings are withheld from public view by court order or by operation of statute. Trial court records are maintained at the county level by the Circuit Clerk or Magistrate Court Clerk, while appellate records are maintained by the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia.

The Circuit Clerk's office is the primary custodian of circuit court records in Logan County, including felony criminal cases, civil actions exceeding the magistrate court's jurisdictional limit, and family court matters. The Magistrate Court Clerk maintains records for misdemeanor criminal cases, small claims, and civil matters within the magistrate court's jurisdiction. Records are created upon filing, updated with each docket entry, and retained according to applicable judicial retention schedules.

What's Included in a Logan County Court Record?

A court record in Logan County may contain a range of documents and data depending on the case type, the court in which the matter was filed, and applicable public-access rules. The following information may appear within a court record:

Case number assigned at the time of filing
Court name and division, such as Circuit Court, Magistrate Court, or Family Court
Filing date and case initiation information
Party names, including plaintiffs, defendants, petitioners, respondents, and attorneys of record
Case type and current status, such as active, disposed, or appealed
Docket entries reflecting each action taken in the case
Scheduled and past hearing dates, including continuances
Motions, complaints, petitions, answers, orders, judgments, notices, minute entries, decrees, and similar filings
Outcome information, such as dismissals, verdicts, guilty pleas, convictions, sentencing entries, custody rulings, probate orders, or appellate decisions
Administrative and financial information, including filing fees, assessed court costs, fines, restitution amounts, and bond information where publicly displayed

Certain information is excluded or restricted from public court records. Sealed filings are withheld by court order. Expunged records are removed from public access pursuant to West Virginia Code § 61-11-25, which governs the expungement of criminal records. Juvenile files, adoption records, and mental hygiene proceedings are restricted by statute. Protected personal data, including Social Security numbers and financial account numbers, is redacted from publicly accessible documents under court rules. Physical exhibits and certain attachments may not be reproduced in electronic records systems.

Types of Courts in Logan County

Logan County is served by several courts operating within the West Virginia unified judicial system. According to the Logan County court information page maintained by the West Virginia Judiciary, "Logan is part of the Eleventh Judicial Circuit, which also includes Mingo County. In Family Court, Logan makes up the Ninth Family Court Circuit."

The courts currently serving Logan County include:

Circuit Court of Logan County — A court of general jurisdiction that hears felony criminal cases, civil actions involving amounts exceeding the magistrate court's jurisdictional threshold, family law matters (through the Family Court division), and appeals from magistrate court. The Circuit Clerk maintains official records for this court.
Family Court of Logan County — Operating within the Ninth Family Court Circuit, this court handles divorce, legal separation, child custody, child support, and domestic relations matters. Family court records are maintained by the Circuit Clerk.
Magistrate Court of Logan County — A court of limited jurisdiction that handles misdemeanor criminal cases, small claims civil actions, and certain civil matters. The Magistrate Record Search tool provides online access to magistrate case information. Users seeking copies of specific records are directed to contact the magistrate court clerk directly.
Municipal Courts — Individual municipalities within Logan County may operate municipal courts with jurisdiction over local ordinance violations and traffic matters.

What Types of Cases Do Logan County Courts Hear

The Circuit Court hears felony criminal prosecutions, major civil disputes, appeals from magistrate court, and family law matters through its family court division. The Magistrate Court handles misdemeanor criminal charges, civil claims within its jurisdictional dollar limit, domestic violence petitions, and traffic violations. Family Court addresses divorce, annulment, child custody, child support, and spousal support. Probate matters, including the administration of estates and guardianships, are handled through the Circuit Court. Juvenile matters, including delinquency and abuse and neglect proceedings, are heard in Circuit Court and are subject to confidentiality restrictions under West Virginia law.

How to Search Logan County Court Records for Free?

Members of the public may search Logan County court records at no cost through several methods. In-person inspection of court records at the Circuit Clerk's office or Magistrate Court Clerk's office is available without charge during regular business hours. Public access terminals located at the Logan County Courthouse allow free docket searches on-site.

Online searches through the West Virginia Judiciary's statewide court record access system are available at no cost for basic case information, including party names, case numbers, and docket entries. The Magistrate Case Record Search is similarly available to the public without a fee.

The following activities involve fees:

Service	Typical Fee
Standard paper copies	$0.50 per page (West Virginia standard)
Certified copies	$1.50 per page plus certification fee
Exemplified copies	Fee set by clerk
Research by clerk staff	May vary by request

Fee authority is established under West Virginia Code § 59-1-10, which sets the schedule of fees for clerks of court. Members of the public who qualify as indigent may petition the court for a waiver of fees in certain proceedings.

Logan County Courthouse
300 Stratton Street
Logan, WV 25601
Phone: (304) 792-8600
County Clerk – Logan County, West Virginia

How Long Does Logan County Keep Court Records?

The retention of court records in Logan County is governed by the judicial records retention schedules established by the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia. Retention periods vary by case type and record category.

Criminal case files for felony matters are retained permanently or for extended periods due to the severity of the offenses and the potential for post-conviction proceedings. Misdemeanor criminal records are subject to shorter retention schedules, though docket books and judgment records may be retained for longer periods. Civil case files are retained according to schedules that account for the statute of limitations applicable to judgments, which under West Virginia law may extend for ten years or more. Probate records, including estate files and guardianship records, are retained for extended periods given their significance to property rights and family matters. Family court records involving child custody and support are retained for periods that account for the age of the minor children involved.

Docket books and minute records are retained permanently in many jurisdictions as the official chronological record of court proceedings. Paper case files may be transferred to microfilm or digital imaging systems, after which the original paper documents may be destroyed in accordance with approved retention schedules. Older records predating electronic systems may exist in paper files, microfilm, county archives, or the West Virginia State Archives.

Destruction of a record under a retention schedule is distinct from sealing, redaction, or expungement. A sealed record continues to exist but is withheld from public access. An expunged record is removed from public access and, in some circumstances, physically destroyed or segregated. Archived records that have reached the end of their retention period are destroyed through authorized procedures, rendering them permanently unavailable.

How To Find a Court Docket in Logan County

A court docket is the official chronological index of all actions, filings, and proceedings in a specific case. It differs from a full case file in that it records what happened and when, rather than containing the actual documents filed. A docket entry may note that a motion was filed, a hearing was held, or an order was entered, but the docket itself does not reproduce the text of those documents.

Members of the public may locate Logan County court dockets through the following methods:

Statewide Online Portal — The West Virginia Judiciary's court record access portal allows users to search circuit court dockets statewide. Searching by party name or case number returns a list of docket entries associated with the case, including filing dates, hearing dates, and action descriptions.
Magistrate Court Dockets — Magistrate court docket information is available through the Magistrate Case Record Search system. As noted in the system's official guidance, "Users are instructed to call or visit the magistrate court clerk in the county where a case is filed to obtain copies of specific court records."
Courthouse Public Terminals — In-person docket searches are available at public access terminals located at the Logan County Courthouse during regular business hours.
Clerk's Office Request — Members of the public may request docket information directly from the Circuit Clerk or Magistrate Court Clerk by providing the case number or party name.

A court docket contains hearing dates and times, continuances, motion filings, minute entries reflecting court actions, status updates, and disposition entries. A docket does not include the full text of filed documents, sealed entries, confidential attachments, or physical exhibits. Hearing calendars and daily court schedules may be separately available through the clerk's office or posted at the courthouse. Motion calendars listing matters set for argument on a given date are maintained by the Circuit Clerk and may be reviewed in person.