Rule 25.01 Scope

This rule sets the ground rules for how mediation works in West Virginia courts. Mediation is a process where a neutral person helps people in a legal dispute try to work out an agreement instead of going through a full trial.

If your case is a family court matter, like divorce or child custody, these mediation rules work together with a separate set of rules made just for family court cases (Rules 31 through 39). Courts and mediators are supposed to read both sets of rules side by side, since they fit together and cover the same general process.

For anyone going through mediation in West Virginia, this means the same basic mediation standards apply whether your case is in regular court or family court. Family court cases just have some extra specific rules added on top.