Hancock County Court Records Search

    Please enter a valid first name
    Please enter a valid last name

    WestVirginiaCourts.us is not a consumer reporting agency as defined by the FCRA and does not provide consumer reports. All searches conducted on WestVirginiaCourts.us are subject to the Terms of Service and Privacy Notice.

    Hancock County, West Virginia sits in the far northern panhandle of the state, with New Cumberland serving as its county seat. Court records generated within the county document the full range of legal proceedings handled by its circuit, family, and magistrate courts—from criminal prosecutions and civil disputes to family law matters and probate filings. These documents capture essential information including case numbers, parties' names, charges or claims, hearing dates, judicial orders, judgments, and sentencing details. Whether you are conducting a background check, researching a legal matter, or verifying the outcome of a past case, understanding how the Hancock County court system is organized and where specific records are kept will save you considerable time.

    Residents and researchers looking for publicly available case information in West Virginia have several options. The state judiciary provides online search tools accessible through WestVirginiaCourts.us, which covers both circuit and magistrate court records across all fifty-five counties, including Hancock. In-person access through clerk offices and remote searching through official portals are both viable options depending on the type of record you need. The sections below walk through each record category and how to obtain them.

    How to Look Up a Court Case in Hancock County?

    Start with the Hancock County Circuit Clerk's Office, located inside the county courthouse. The circuit clerk maintains all pleadings, orders, and documents filed in both the Circuit Court and the Family Court, and the office is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

    Hancock County Courthouse (Circuit & Family Courts)

    Address: 102 North Court Street, P.O. Box 428, New Cumberland, WV 26047
    Phone: (304) 564-3311, Ext. 261 (Circuit Clerk)
    Fax: (304) 564-5014

    Hancock County Magistrate Court

    Address: 900 North Chester Street, P.O. Box 626, New Cumberland, WV 26047
    Phone: (304) 564-3080 or (304) 564-3355
    Fax: (304) 564-5357

    Weirton Municipal Court

    Address: 200 Municipal Plaza, Weirton, WV 26062
    Phone: (304) 797-8500

    For in-person searches at the Circuit Clerk's Office, bring the full name of a party or a case number to help staff locate the record. Public civil and criminal records are available for viewing during office hours. Photocopies cost $1.00 per page and faxes cost $2.00 per page—though fees are subject to change, so it's worth calling ahead to confirm current rates before you visit.

    Online searches can be conducted through four official tools:

    • WVPASS (West Virginia Public Access Search System) — Search publicly available circuit court records from all fifty-five counties, with coverage dating back to 1999.
    • Magistrate Case Record Search — Search magistrate court case information statewide using a name or case number to generate results.
    • Circuit Express — An attorney-oriented electronic subscription service offered through the Circuit Clerk's Office that provides docketing system access for law firms. Information is available through Software Computer Group, Inc.
    • Hancock County Clerk's IDX Search — The County Clerk maintains a separate online index search portal for land records, vital records indexes, wills, and other instruments recorded with that office.

    Are Court Records Public in Hancock County?

    West Virginia's public records framework is built on the Freedom of Information Act, W. Va. Code § 29B-1-1 et seq., which gives any person the right to inspect or copy public records held by state and local government bodies, including courts. Under that framework, Hancock County court records are generally open to the public unless a specific exemption applies.

    Records that are generally accessible to the public include:

    • Circuit court civil case filings and judgments
    • Criminal case dockets and sentencing records
    • Magistrate court civil and criminal information
    • Property records and land instruments filed with the County Clerk
    • Marriage license records (subject to fee)

    Records that are restricted or confidential include:

    • Juvenile court records
    • Adoption records and child abuse and neglect proceedings
    • Mental health evaluation records
    • Sensitive personal identifiers such as Social Security numbers, full dates of birth, and financial account numbers—which are redacted from publicly accessible documents
    • Records sealed by court order
    • Birth records less than 100 years old, accessible only to the named individual, parents or legal guardians, legal representatives, or those with a court order (W. Va. Code § 16-5-27)
    • Death records less than 50 years old, available only to family members, legal representatives, persons with a legal interest, or government agencies with an official need

    If you believe a record has been improperly withheld, you can cite the FOIA and request a written explanation of the denial. Note that making a false vital records request constitutes a felony under W. Va. Code § 16-5-38.

    Hancock County Criminal Court Records

    Hancock County is part of West Virginia's First Judicial Circuit, which also includes Brooke and Ohio Counties. Circuit court criminal matters—felony prosecutions, serious misdemeanors, and appeals from magistrate court—are filed and maintained by the Hancock County Circuit Clerk. These records document charges, plea proceedings, trial records, verdicts, and sentences.

    How to access criminal court records:

    • In person: Visit the Circuit Clerk's Office at 102 North Court Street during business hours (Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.). Provide a party name or case number. Public criminal records are available for viewing, with copies at $1.00 per page.
    • Online: Use WVPASS to search circuit court criminal records remotely. The system covers publicly available documents from all counties statewide.
    • Magistrate-level criminal matters: Minor criminal offenses and certain misdemeanors are handled at the magistrate court level. The Magistrate Case Record Search allows name- or case-number-based lookups.

    It's important to distinguish between court records and criminal history information. Compiled criminal history—which may include arrest records, disposition summaries, and offender data—is maintained separately by law enforcement agencies. The Hancock County Sheriff's Department, reachable at its office at the county courthouse, handles law enforcement records, while the West Virginia Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation maintains a statewide offender search tool for incarcerated or supervised individuals.

    The presiding circuit judge for Hancock County cases is Judge Joseph Barki, located at the Hancock County Courthouse, reachable at (304) 564-3311, Ext. 237.

    Hancock County Civil Court Records

    Civil matters in Hancock County—including contract disputes, property litigation, small claims actions, and appeals from magistrate civil decisions—are handled at the circuit court level and documented by the Circuit Clerk. The County Clerk's Office maintains a separate set of civil instruments including judgments, liens, and property-related filings.

    Hancock County Clerk's Office

    Address: 102 North Court Street, P.O. Box 367, New Cumberland, WV 26047
    Phone: (304) 564-3311
    Office Hours: Monday–Friday, 7:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.

    Fees for civil records and documents:

    Document TypeFee
    Circuit court record copies$1.00 per page
    Circuit court fax copies$2.00 per page
    Deed and document copies (County Clerk)$1.50 for first two pages; $1.00 per additional page

    Civil records at the circuit court can be searched through WVPASS for publicly available filings. Magistrate court civil cases—which cover small claims and other limited civil actions—can be searched through the statewide Magistrate Case Record Search. The County Clerk's office also maintains land and lien records accessible through its online index search system, which allows searches of deed books, judgment books, mechanics' lien books, execution books, and a range of other instruments recorded since the mid-1800s.

    To request civil court records by mail from the Circuit Clerk, address correspondence to:

    Hancock County Circuit Clerk
    P.O. Box 428
    New Cumberland, WV 26047

    Include the party name, case number if known, and a check or money order for copying fees. Call (304) 564-3311, Ext. 261 to confirm current requirements before mailing your request.

    Hancock County Family Court Records

    Hancock County's family court matters are administered within the First Family Court Circuit, which encompasses Brooke, Hancock, and Ohio Counties. Family Court Judge Joyce D. Chernenko presides over the circuit, with administrative offices located at the Brooke County Family Court, 620 Main Street, Third Floor, Wellsburg, WV 26070, Phone: (304) 737-5015 A deputy clerk is also located at 3549 Main Street, Weirton, WV 26062, Phone: (304) 748-1490

    Family court jurisdiction covers a broad range of domestic legal matters, including:

    • Divorce and legal separation — All divorce filings are initiated in family court, and the resulting records are maintained by the Circuit Clerk. Divorce records can be accessed in person at the Hancock County Courthouse or searched online through WVPASS.
    • Child custody and visitation — Custody disputes and parenting plan modifications are heard in family court and produce a case file accessible through the circuit clerk system.
    • Child support — Support determinations and enforcement proceedings generate court records maintained by the Circuit Clerk.
    • Domestic violence protective orders — Petitions and orders relating to domestic violence are family court matters. The West Virginia Judiciary maintains resources on domestic violence proceedings for individuals seeking guidance.
    • Adoption and child abuse/neglect proceedings — These records are confidential under West Virginia law and are not available for public inspection.
    • Guardianships of minors — Minor guardianship matters are handled in family court and are separate from adult guardianship proceedings administered through the probate system.

    Marriage licenses are issued by the Hancock County Clerk's Office. A marriage license for applicants 18 and over is issued the same day for a fee of $36.00 (cash only) and requires a certified copy of the applicant's birth certificate. Records of marriages going back to the early 1850s are indexed in the County Clerk's system. Certified copies of marriage certificates cost $5.00 each and can be obtained in person or by mailing the Vital Record Request Form along with a valid ID, a self-addressed stamped envelope, and payment by cash or money order (no personal checks) to:

    Hancock County Clerk
    P.O. Box 367
    New Cumberland, WV 26047

    Note: Birth and death records created after July 1978 are primarily held at Brooke County, WV (phone (304) 737-3661), as the hospital serving the area relocated to that county.

    Hancock County Probate Court Records

    Probate matters in Hancock County—including the administration of decedents' estates, fiduciary appointments, wills, conservatorships, and adult guardianships—are primarily handled by the Hancock County Clerk's Office. The County Clerk receives and records wills, letters of administration, fiduciary accounts, guardian accounts, and related probate instruments. The County Clerk's IDX database indexes estate documents including appointment papers, annual accounts, guardian accounts, small estates filings, and will recordings.

    Key probate procedures:

    • Appointments: The County Clerk's office requests that individuals call ahead to schedule probate and will-filing appointments.
    • In-person access: Visit the County Clerk's Office at 102 North Court Street, New Cumberland, WV 26047, Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
    • Contested probate: Formal or contested probate proceedings—such as will contests or disputes over estate administration—are referred to the Circuit Court, and those records are maintained by the Circuit Clerk.
    • Online index: The County Clerk's online index search portal allows researchers to browse estate-related record categories including letters of administration, fiduciary books, will books, and small estate filings by name or date range.

    Fees for probate document copies follow the same schedule as other County Clerk instruments: $1.50 for the first two pages and $1.00 for each additional page per document, as set by the West Virginia Legislature. The County Clerk does not accept personal checks; payment must be made in cash or money order.

    For court forms applicable to probate and other proceedings across the West Virginia court system, the West Virginia Judiciary maintains a central court forms repository organized by case type, which includes forms for guardianship, conservatorship, and estate proceedings. County-specific information about the Hancock County courts, including judicial assignments and clerk contacts, is maintained on the West Virginia Judiciary's Hancock County information page.