United States District Court for the Northern District of West Virginia

4th Circuit Clarksburg, West Virginia

About This Court

The Northern District of West Virginia is one of two federal judicial districts in West Virginia, operating within the Fourth Circuit. The district covers the northern and eastern portions of the state, encompassing a geographically diverse area that includes both the Appalachian highlands and the Eastern Panhandle region bordering Maryland and Virginia.

The court's primary headquarters are located in Clarksburg, with additional divisional offices serving different parts of the district. The region's economy has historically been tied to natural resources, particularly coal, oil, and gas, which has shaped the nature of litigation before the court.

As a smaller federal district, the Northern District of West Virginia handles a range of civil and criminal matters typical of federal courts in rural and semi-rural areas, including cases arising from federal land and resource regulations, as well as criminal matters involving drug trafficking and related offenses common to the region.

Proceedings are governed by the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure, and Federal Rules of Evidence, along with the court's local rules. Bankruptcy cases are handled by the companion Bankruptcy Court, Northern District of West Virginia. Appeals go to the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit.

Divisions

Clarksburg Division (Clarksburg), Elkins Division (Elkins), Martinsburg Division (Martinsburg), Wheeling Division (Wheeling)

Caseload

The district sees a significant volume of criminal cases related to drug offenses, as well as civil matters involving natural resource and energy industries. Federal habeas corpus petitions and Social Security appeals also represent a notable share of the civil docket.

Bar Admission

Attorneys must be admitted to practice before the United States District Court for the Northern District of West Virginia, which generally requires membership in good standing in the West Virginia State Bar or another state bar along with compliance with the court's local admission rules.

Clerk's Office

500 West Pike Street, Clarksburg, WV 26301

(304) 622-8513

Active Judges 5

Name	Appointed By	Confirmed	Law School
John Bailey	George W. Bush	2007	West Virginia University College of Law
Gina Groh	Barack Obama	2012	West Virginia University College of Law
Irene Keeley	George H.W. Bush	1992	West Virginia University College of Law
Thomas Kleeh	Donald J. Trump	2018	West Virginia University College of Law
Frederick Stamp	George H.W. Bush	1990	University of Richmond T.C. Williams School of Law (now University of Richmond School of Law)

Local Rules

The Local Rules of the United States District Court for the Northern District of West Virginia, which supplement the Federal Rules of Appellate Procedure. See the court's official website for the authoritative text.

Civil Rules 70

Rule	Title
LR Civ P 1.01	Applicability
LR Civ P 4.01	Waiver of Service
LR Civ P 5.01	Discovery
LR Civ P 7.01	Stipulations
LR Civ P 7.02	Motion Practice
LR Civ P 7.10	Disclosure Statement
LR Civ P 7.20	Disclosure Statement in a Diversity Action
LR Civ P 9.01	Complaints Filed Pursuant to Social Security Act
LR Civ P 9.02	Social Security Appeals
LR Civ P 12.01	Extensions of Answer Date
LR Civ P 12.02	Motions to Dismiss
LR Civ P 15.01	Motions to Amend
LR Civ P 16.01	Scheduling Conferences
LR Civ P 16.02	Case Management Conferences in Complex Cases
LR Civ P 16.03	Pretrial Conferences in Non-Complex Cases
LR Civ P 16.04	Final Conferences; Pretrial Order
LR Civ P 16.05	Authority Regarding Stipulations, Agreements, and Admissions at Conferences Before Judicial Officers
LR Civ P 16.06	Mediation
LR Civ P 26.01	Control of Discovery
LR Civ P 26.02	Uniform Definitions in Discovery Requests
LR Civ P 26.03	Inspection of Documents and Copying Expense
LR Civ P 26.04	Discovery Disputes
LR Civ P 26.05	Protective Orders and Sealed Documents
LR Civ P 26.06	Discovery of Electronically Stored Information
LR Civ P 33.01	Interrogatories
LR Civ P 34.01	Document Production
LR Civ P 36.01	Admissions
LR Civ P 37.01	Failure to Make Disclosures or to Cooperate in Discovery; Sanctions
LR Civ P 37.02	Motions to Compel
LR Civ P 41.01	Dismissal of Actions
LR Civ P 47.01	Trial Juries
LR Civ P 54.01	Fees and Costs
LR Civ P 72.01	Authority of Magistrate Judges
LR Civ P 72.02	Effect of Magistrate Judge Ruling Pending Objection
LR Civ P 78.01	Hearings on Motions
LR PL P 1	Scope
LR PL P 2	Prisoner Cases Assigned to Magistrate Judges
LR PL P 3	Pro Se Prisoner Petitions. Applications, Motions and Complaints are to be Filed on Court-Approved Forms
LR PL P 3.1	Generally
LR PL P 3.2	Applications to Proceed In Forma Pauperis
LR PL P 3.3	Obtaining Copies of the Local Rules of Prisoner Litigation
LR PL P 3.4	Use of the Court-Approved Forms
LR PL P 4	Filing Pro Se Prisoner Petitions, Applications, Motions and Complaints
LR PL P 5	Notice of Deficient Pleading
LR PL P 6	Current Mailing Address
LR PL P 7	Discovery
LR PL P 8	Prisoners May Not Utilize This Court's CM/ECF System
LR PL P 9	Court Personnel Cannot Provide Legal Advice
LR PL P 10	Procedures for Cases Where a Prisoner is Represented by Counsel
LR PL P 11	Motions Practice and Court Deadlines
LR PL P 12	Objections to a Magistrate Judge's Recommended Disposition
LR PL P 13	Filing of Pleadings or Papers Not Authorized by the Rules
LR PL P 14	Filing Fee for Appeals
LR PL P 15	Sanctions
LR PL P 16 (Part 1)	Appointment of Counsel
LR PL P 16 (Part 2)	Filing Fee
LR PL P 17	Applications by Prisoners to Proceed In Forma Pauperis in § 2254 and 2241 Petitions
LR PL P 18	Separate Petitions are Required for Judgments Entered by Different Courts
LR PL P 19	No Responses Required Without Court Order
LR PL P 20	Filing a Petition for a Writ of Habeas Corpus Pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 2241
LR PL P 21	Filing a Petition for a Writ of Habeas Corpus Pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 2254
LR PL P 22	Filing a Motion to Vacate or Modify Sentence Pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 2255
LR PL P 24	Filing Fee for Civil Causes of Action
LR PL P 25	Applications by Prisoners to Proceed In Forma Pauperis in Civil Actions Other Than Those Filed Pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 2241 or 2254
LR PL P 27	Service of the Complaint
LR PL P 28	Consent to Trial by Magistrate Judge
LR PL P 30	Filing a Pro Se State Civil Rights Complaint Pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983
LR PL P 31	Filing a Pro Se Federal Civil Rights Complaint Pursuant to Bivens v. Six Unknown Named Agents of Federal Bureau of Narcotics, 403 U.S. 388 (1971)
LR PL P 32	Filing a Pro Se Complaint Pursuant to the Federal Tort Claims Act ("FTCA")
LR PL P 33	Filing a Pro Se Complaint Pursuant to Any Statutory Authority Not Specifically Designated Above

Criminal Rules 23

Rule	Title
LR Cr P 1.01	Applicability
LR Cr P 2.01	Grand Jury
LR Cr P 10.01	Duties of the Magistrate Judge
LR Cr P 16.01	Pretrial Discovery and Inspection
LR Cr P 16.02	Declination of Disclosure
LR Cr P 16.03	Additional Discovery or Inspection
LR Cr P 16.04	Additional Evidence
LR Cr P 16.05	Exculpatory Evidence
LR Cr P 16.06	Rule 404(b), Giglio and Roviaro Evidence
LR Cr P 16.07	List of Witnesses
LR Cr P 16.08	List of Trial Exhibits
LR Cr P 16.09	Protective and Modifying Orders
LR Cr P 16.10	Failure to Comply With Discovery
LR Cr P 16.11	Continuing Disclosure
LR Cr P 16.12	Effect of Disclosure by the Government
LR Cr P 24.01	Motions in Limine, Jury Instructions and Voir Dire
LR Cr P 32.01	Disclosure of Presentence Reports
LR Cr P 32.02	Disclosure of Records or Testimony
LR Cr P 43.01	Matters That May Be Conducted by Videoconference
LR Cr P 45.01	Deadlines
LR Cr P 47.01	Motions
LR Cr P 50.01	Continuances
LR Cr P 58.01	Forfeiture of Collateral

General Rules 34

Rule	Title
LR Gen P 1.01	Courthouse Security
LR Gen P 2.01	Disclosure Statement
LR Gen P 3.01	Proceedings In Forma Pauperis
LR Gen P 4.01	Initiation of Civil Contempt Proceedings
LR Gen P 4.02	Issues; Trial by Jury
LR Gen P 4.03	Order of the Court; Confinement of Contemner
LR Gen P 5.01	Filing of Papers
LR Gen P 5.02	Definitions Related to Fax Transactions and CM/ECF
LR Gen P 5.03	Applicability of Fax Transmissions and Electronic Filings
LR Gen P 5.04	General Provisions for Filing by Fax
LR Gen P 5.05	Filing and Service of Documents in Civil Actions by Fax Transmission
LR Gen P 5.06	General
LR Gen P 5.07	Video
LR Gen P 5.08	E-Government Act
LR Gen P 5.09	Computing and Extending Time
LR Gen P 6.01	Documents Not Available to the Public
LR Gen P 47.01	Contact with Jurors
LR Gen P 58.01	Entry of Judgments and Orders
LR Gen P 65.01	Approval of Bonds by the Clerk of Court
LR Gen P 77.01	Principal Office of Clerk of Court
LR Gen P 77.02	Points of Holding Court
LR Gen P 77.03	Sessions
LR Gen P 79.01	Exhibits
LR Gen P 79.02	Removal of Papers from Custody of Clerk of Court
LR Gen P 84.01	Ethical Considerations
LR Gen P 84.02	Bias and Prejudice
LR Gen P 84.03	Addressing the Court; Examination of Witnesses
LR Gen P 84.04	Pro Se Litigants
LR Gen P 85.01	Photography in and Broadcasting from Courtroom
LR Gen P 85.02	Impoundment of Equipment
LR Gen P 85.03	Electronic Equipment in the Courthouse
LR Gen P 88.01	Scheduling Conflicts
LR Gen P 88.02	Requests for Continuance
LR Gen P 89.01	Departures from Local Rules

Attorney Rules 4

Rule	Title
LR Gen P 83.01	Permanent Members of Bar of Court
LR Gen P 83.02	Visiting Attorneys
LR Gen P 83.03	Representation of Parties and Pro Se Appearances
LR Gen P 83.04	Legal Assistance by Law Students

Appellate Rules 2

Rule	Title
LR PL P 23	Appeals
LR PL P 29	Appeals from an Adverse Decision in a Civil Action

Other Courts in the 4th Circuit

District of Maryland Baltimore, Maryland District of South Carolina Columbia, South Carolina Eastern District of North Carolina Raleigh, North Carolina Eastern District of Virginia Alexandria, Virginia Middle District of North Carolina Greensboro, North Carolina Southern District of West Virginia Charleston, West Virginia Western District of North Carolina Charlotte, North Carolina Western District of Virginia Roanoke, Virginia