Rule 1 Scope and purpose

If you're involved in a civil lawsuit in a West Virginia trial court, these are the rules that spell out how the case will move forward. They cover things like filing paperwork, giving notice to the other side, and other steps in the process. There's a short list of exceptions in Rule 81, but for the most part, these rules apply to civil cases across the board.

The main goal behind these rules is simple: cases should be handled fairly, quickly, and without wasting people's money. Courts and everyone involved in a lawsuit, including the parties themselves, are expected to follow the rules in a way that supports that goal. In other words, the process shouldn't drag on longer than it needs to, or cost more than it has to, just because of how the rules get applied.