This article will provide guidance on West Virginia Rules of Civil Procedure. Disclaimer: Due to the law’s rapidly changing nature, there will be times when the material on this site will not be current. It is provided for general information and is not intended as legal advice. It should not be considered comprehensive or exhaustive and is not a substitute for advice from your attorney. We make no express or implied warranty as to the material’s accuracy, reliability, completeness, timeliness, or appropriateness for a particular purpose, including applicability to your jurisdiction or circumstances. We assume no liability for any direct, indirect, or consequential damages resulting from your reliance on this material; you do so at your own risk. Seek the advice of an attorney. Comments, corrections, or suggestions should be directed to info@undisputedlegal.com. The information listed below may have been amended. For updated process serving legislation, please visit the West Virginia Courts website.
West Virginia Process Service Requirements
Service may be affected by any person who is not a party and is at least 18 years of age.
West Virginia Rules of Civil Procedure Rule 4. Summons.
(a) Form. The summons shall be signed by the clerk, bear the court’s seal, identify the court and the parties, be directed to the defendant, and state the name and address of the plaintiff’s attorney or, if unrepresented, of the plaintiff. It shall also state the time the defendant must appear and defend and notify the defendant that failure to do so will result in a judgment by default against the defendant for the complaint’s relief. The court may allow a summons to be amended.
(b) Issuance. Upon filing the complaint, the clerk shall issue a summons to be served as directed by the plaintiff. A summons, or a copy of the summons if addressed to multiple defendants, shall be issued for each defendant to be served.
(c) Service with the complaint; by whom made.
(1) A summons shall be served with a copy of the complaint. The plaintiff is responsible for directing the clerk in the manner of service of the summons and complaint within the time allowed under subdivision (k).
(2) Service may be affected by any person who is not a party and at least 18 years of age.
(3) At the request of the plaintiff and upon payment of the applicable fees and costs of service, the clerk shall:
(A) Deliver the summons and complaint to the sheriff for service as directed by the plaintiff, or
(B) Do service by either certified mail or by the first class mail as directed by the plaintiff; or
(C) Forward a copy of the summons and complaint to the Secretary of State, as statutory attorney-in-fact, for service as specified by any applicable statute.
(d) Manner of service. Personal or substituted service shall be made in the following manner:
(1) Individuals. – Service upon an individual other than an infant, incompetent person, or convict may be made by:
(A) Delivering a copy of the summons and complaint to the individual personally; or
(B) Delivering a copy of the summons and complaint at the individual’s dwelling place or usual place of abode to a member of the individual’s family who is above the age of sixteen (16) years and advising the such person of the purport of the summons and complaint; or
(C) Delivering a copy of the summons and complaint to an agent or attorney-in-fact authorized by appointment or statute to receive or accept service of the summons and complaint on the individual’s behalf; or
(D) The clerk sending a copy of the summons and complaint to the individual to be served by certified mail, return receipt requested, and delivery restricted to the addressee; or
(E) The clerk sending a copy of the summons and complaint to the individual to be served by certified mail, return receipt requested, and delivery restricted to the addressee; or The plaintiff shall furnish the person doing service with such copies of the complaint or order as are necessary and shall advance the costs of service. For service by certified mail, the plaintiff shall pay the clerk a fee of ten dollars for each complaint to be served. For service by first class mail, the plaintiff shall pay the clerk a fee of five dollars for each complaint to be served. Service under subdivision (d)(1)(D) shall not be the basis for the entry of a default or a judgment by default unless the record contains a return receipt showing acceptance by the defendant or a return envelope showing refusal of the registered or certified mail by the defendant. Suppose delivery of the summons and complaint under subdivision (d)(1)(D) is refused. In that case, the clerk, promptly upon receipt of the notice of such refusal, shall mail to the defendant, by first-class mail, postage prepaid, a copy of the summons and complaint and a notice that despite such refusal, the case will proceed and that judgment by default will be rendered against the defendant unless the defendant appears to defend the suit. Any such default or judgment by default shall be set aside under West Virginia Rules of Civil Procedure 55 (c) or West Virginia Rules of Civil Procedure 60 (b) if the defendant demonstrates to the court that the return receipt was signed by or delivery was refused by an unauthorized person. The notice and acknowledgment of receipt of the summons and complaint under subdivision (d)(1)(E) shall be executed in the manner prescribed on Form 14. Unless good cause is shown for failure to complete and return the notice and acknowledgment of receipt of summons and complaint under subdivision (d)(1)(E) within twenty (20) days after mailing, the court may order the payment of the cost of personal service by the person served. Service under subdivision (d)(1)(E) shall not be the basis for entry of default or a judgment by default unless the record contains a notice and acknowledgment of receipt of the summons and complaint. If the clerk receives no acknowledgment of service under subdivision (d)(1)(E) within twenty (20) days after the date of mailing, service of such summons and complaint shall be made under subdivisions (d)(1)(A), (B), (C), or (D).
(2) Infants and incompetents under 14 years. Upon an infant or incompetent younger than 14 years of age, by delivering a copy of the summons and complaint to the infant’s or incompetent’s guardian or conservator resident in the State; or, if there be no such guardian or conservator, then to either the infant’s or incompetent’s father or mother if they are found. If there is no such guardian or conservator and if the father or mother cannot be found, the summons and complaint’s service shall be made upon a guardian ad litem appointed under West Virginia Rules of Civil Procedure 17 (c). But if any of the persons upon whom service is directed to be made by this paragraph is a plaintiff, then service shall be upon the person who stands first in the order named in this paragraph who is not a plaintiff.
(3) Infants and incompetents 14 years or older. Upon an infant or incompetent 14 years of age or older, by doing service as provided in paragraph (2) above and doing service upon the infant or incompetent, as provided in paragraph (1) above.
(4) Convicts. Upon a person confined in the penitentiary of this or any other state, or of the United States, by delivering a copy of the summons and complaint to that person’s committee, guardian, or like a fiduciary resident in the State; or, if there be no such committee, guardian, or like fiduciary, or if the committee, guardian, or like fiduciary is a plaintiff, service of process shall be made upon a guardian ad litem appointed under West Virginia Rules of Civil Procedure 17 (c).
(5) Domestic private corporations. Upon a domestic private corporation,
(A) by delivering or mailing by paragraph (1) above a copy of the summons and complaint to an officer, director, or trustee thereof; or, if no such officer, director, or trustee be found, by delivering a copy thereof to any agent of the corporation including, in the case of a railroad company, a depot or station agent in the actual employment of the company; but excluding, in the case of an insurance company, a local or soliciting agent; or
(B) by delivering or mailing by paragraph (1) above a copy thereof to any agent or attorney authorized by appointment or by statute to receive or accept service on its behalf.
(6) Domestic public corporations.
(A) Upon a city, town, or village, by delivering or mailing by paragraph
(1) above a copy of the summons and complaint to its mayor, city manager, recorder, clerk, treasurer, or any member of its council or board of commissioners;
(B) Upon a county commission of any county or other tribunal created to transact county business, by delivering or mailing by paragraph (1) above a copy of the summons and complaint to any commissioner or the clerk thereof or, if they are absent, to the prosecuting attorney of the county;
(C) Upon a board of education, by delivering or mailing by paragraph (1) above a copy of the summons and complaint to the president or any member thereof or, if they are absent, to the prosecuting attorney of the county;
(D) Upon any other domestic public corporation, (i) by delivering or mailing by paragraph (1) above a copy of the summons and complaint to any officer, director, or governor thereof, or (ii) by delivering or mailing by paragraph (1) above a copy thereof to an agent or attorney authorized by appointment or by statute to receive or accept service in its behalf.
(7) Foreign corporations and business trusts qualified to do business. Upon a foreign corporation, including a business trust, which has qualified to do business in the State, by delivering or mailing by paragraph (1) above a copy of the summons and complaint as provided in West Virginia Rules of Civil Procedure 4(d)(5).
(8) Foreign corporations and business trusts are not qualified to do business. Upon a foreign corporation, including a business trust, which has not qualified to do business in the State,
(A) by delivering or mailing by paragraph (1) above a copy of the summons and complaint to any officer, director, trustee, or agent of such corporation; or
(B) by delivering or mailing by paragraph (1) above copies thereof to any agent or attorney authorized by appointment or by statute to receive or accept service on its behalf.
(9) Unincorporated associations. Upon an unincorporated association which is subject to suit under a common name, by delivering a copy of the summons and complaint to any officer, director, or governor thereof, or by delivering or mailing by paragraph (1) above a copy of the summons and complaint to any agent or attorney authorized by appointment or by statute to receive or accept service in its behalf; or, if no such officer, director, governor, or appointed or statutory agent or attorney be found, then by delivering or mailing by paragraph (1) above a copy of the summons and complaint to any member of such association and publishing notice of the pendency of such action once a week for two successive weeks in the newspaper of general circulation in the county wherein such action is pending. Proof of publication of such notice is made by filing the publisher’s publication certificate with the court.
(e) Constructive service.
(1) Service by publication. If the plaintiff shall file with the court an affidavit:
(A) That the defendant is a foreign corporation or business trust for which no officer, director, trustee, agent, or appointed or statutory agent or attorney is found in the State upon whom service may be had; or
(B) That the defendant is a nonresident of the State for whom no agent, or appointed or statutory agent or attorney is found in the State upon whom service may be had; or
(C) That the plaintiff has used due diligence to ascertain the residence or whereabouts of the defendant, without effect; or
(D) That process, delivered to the sheriff of the county in which the defendant resides or is, has twice been delivered to such officer and has been returned without being executed; or
(E) That there are or may be persons, other than those named in the complaint as plaintiff and defendant, interested in the subject matter of the action, whose names are unknown to the plaintiff and who are made defendants by the general description of unknown defendants; then the clerk shall enter an order of publication against such named and unknown defendants. Every order of publication shall state the title of the action; the object thereof; the name and address of the plaintiff’s attorney, if any; that a copy of the complaint may be obtained from the clerk; and that each named and unknown defendant must appear and defend on or before a date outlined in the order, which shall be not fewer than 30 days after the first publication thereof; otherwise, that judgment by default will be rendered against the defendants at any time thereafter. Every such order of publication shall be published once a week for two successive weeks (or for such period as may be prescribed by statute, whichever period is longer) in a newspaper of general circulation in the county. Such action is pending. Proof of service by publication is made by filing the publisher’s certificate of publication with the court.
(2) Service by mailing. When the plaintiff knows the residence of a defendant upon whom service has been unsuccessfully attempted as described in West Virginia Rules of Civil Procedure or when the plaintiff knows the residence of a nonresident defendant or the principal office of a nonresident defendant foreign corporation or business trust for which no officer, director, trustee, agent, or appointed or statutory agent or attorney is found in the State upon whom service may be had, the plaintiff shall obtain constructive service of the summons and complaint upon such defendant by the method outlined in West Virginia Rules of Civil Procedure for (d)(1)(D). The summons in such instance shall notify the defendant that the defendant must appear and defend within thirty days of the date of mailing under West Virginia Rules of Civil Procedure 4 (d)(1)(D); otherwise, that judgment by default will be rendered against the defendant at any time thereafter. However, service under Rule 4 (d)(1)(D) shall not be the basis for the entry of a judgment by default unless the record contains a return receipt showing acceptance by the defendant or a return envelope showing refusal of the certified mail by the defendant. Suppose delivery of the summons and complaint sent by the certified mail is refused. In that case, the clerk, promptly upon notice of such refusal, shall mail to the defendant first-class mail, postage prepaid, a copy of the summons and complaint, and notice that the case will proceed despite such refusal. That judgment by default will be rendered against the defendant unless the defendant appears to defend the suit. Suppose the plaintiff is unable to obtain service of the summons and complaint upon such defendant by use of the method outlined in Rule 4 (d)(1)(D), then, upon affidavit to such effect filed with the court. In that case, the clerk shall issue an order of publication. The procedures described in subdivision (e)(1) shall be followed to effectuate constructive service.
(f) Personal service outside State. Personal service of a copy of the summons and complaint may be made outside of this State on any defendant. If any such defendant is then a resident of this State, and if the plaintiff shall, during the pendency of the action, file with the court an affidavit setting forth facts showing that the defendant is such a resident, such service shall have the same effect as personal service within this State and within the county of the defendant’s residence; otherwise, such service shall have the same effect as constructive service. In either case, the summons shall notify the defendant that the defendant must appear and defend within 30 days after service. Otherwise, judgment by default will be rendered against the defendant at any time thereafter.
(g) Summons; service thereof in addition to constructive service. At any time before judgment, the plaintiff may have a copy of the summons and complaint served on a defendant in the manner provided by subdivisions (d) or (f) of this rule. However, constructive service under subdivision (e) of this rule has been made. After such service under subdivision (d) of this rule, the action shall proceed as in other cases of personal or substituted service within the State. After such service under subdivision (f) of this rule, the action shall proceed as in other personal or constructive service cases.
(h) Process part of the record. Summonses, complaints, proofs of service and returns endorsed thereon, all orders and notices served or published, all proofs of service and certificates of publication, and all other papers filed relating to such process, orders, and notices, are a part of the record of action for all purposes.
(i) The person serving the process or order or publishing a notice or order shall promptly make proof of service of publication to the court. Any event within the time during which the person served must respond to the process, notice, or order. If service is made by a person other than the sheriff or clerk, that person shall prove thereof by affidavit. Failure to make proof of service or publication within the time required does not affect the validity of the service of the process, notice, or order.
(j) Amendment. At any time in its discretion and upon such terms as it deems, the court may allow any process, notice, order, or proof of service or publication thereof to be amended unless it appears that material prejudice would result in the substantial rights of the party against whom the process, notice, or order issued or was entered.
(k) Time limit for service. If service of the summons and complaint is not made upon a defendant within 120 days after the filing of the complaint, the court, upon motion or on its initiative after notice to the plaintiff, shall dismiss the action without prejudice as to that defendant or direct that service be effective within a specified time; provided that if the plaintiff shows good cause for the failure, the court shall extend the time for service for an appropriate period. (Amended by order adopted June 1, 1978; by order adopted June 22, 1988, effective October 1, 1988; by order entered November 29, 1989, effective January 1, 1990; by order dated June 26, 1990, effective July 1, 1990; by order adopted October 26, 1994, effective January 1, 1995; by order adopted December 6, 1994, effective January 1, 1995; by order adopted February 19, 1998, effective April 6, 1998; and amended by order adopted and effective October 26, 1998.)
Case Note: A convicted felon who has completed the punishment and paid all fines set by the court’s judgment is considered to be a credible person for service of process. State ex rel. Wolfe v. King, 443 S.E.2d 823 (West Virginia Rules of Civil Procedure. 1994).
Rule 45. Subpoena.
(a) Form; issuance.
(1) Every subpoena shall be in a form that complies with Form 33. Civil Case Subpoena, as outlined in the Appendix of Forms of the Rules of Civil Procedure. Every subpoena shall run in the name of the State and shall
(A) state the name of the court from which it is issued;
(B) state the title of the action, the name of the court in which it is pending, and its civil action number;
(C) command each person to whom it is directed to attend and give testimony or to produce and permit inspection and copying of designated books, documents, or tangible things in the possession, custody, or control of that person, or to permit inspection of premises, at a time and place therein specified; and
(D) set forth the text of subdivisions (c), (d), and (e) of this rule. A command to produce evidence or permit inspection may be joined with a command to appear at trial or hearing or deposition or be issued separately.
(2) A subpoena commanding attendance at a trial or hearing shall issue from the court for the circuit in which the hearing or trial is to be held. A subpoena for attendance at a deposition shall issue from the court for the circuit designated by the notice of deposition as the circuit in which the deposition is to be taken. If separate from a subpoena commanding a person’s attendance, a subpoena for production or inspection shall issue from the court for the circuit in which the production or inspection is to be made.
(3) The clerk shall issue a subpoena, signed but otherwise in blank, to a party requesting it, who shall complete it before service. An attorney as an officer of the court may also issue and sign a subpoena.
(b) Service.
(1) A subpoena may be served by any person who is not a party and is not less than 18 years of age. Service of a subpoena upon a person named therein shall be made in the same manner provided for service of process under Rule 4 (d) (1) (A) and by tendering to that person if demanded the fees for one day’s attendance and the mileage allowed by law. When the subpoena is issued on behalf of the State or an officer or agency, fees and mileage need not be tendered. Prior notice of any commanded production of documents and things or inspection of premises before trial shall be served on each party in the manner prescribed by Rule 5 (b).
(2) A subpoena may be served at any place within the State.
(3) Proof of service, when necessary, shall be made by filing with the clerk of the court by which the subpoena is issued a statement of the date and manner of service and of the names of the persons served, certified by the person who did the service.
(c) Place of the examination. A deponent may be required to attend an examination only in the county in which the deponent resides or is employed or transacts business in person or at such other convenient place as is fixed by order of the court.
(d) Protection of persons subject to subpoenas.
(1) A party or an attorney responsible for the issuance and service of a subpoena shall take reasonable steps to avoid imposing undue burden or expense on a person subject to that subpoena. The court on behalf of which the subpoena was issued may enforce this duty and impose upon the party or attorney in breach of this duty an appropriate sanction, including, but not limited to, lost earnings and a reasonable attorney’s fee.
(2) (A) A person commanded to produce and permit inspection and copying of designated books, papers, documents, or tangible things or inspection of premises need not appear in person at the place of production or inspection unless commanded to appear for deposition, hearing, or trial.
(B) Subject to paragraph (e) (2) of this rule, a person commanded to produce and permit inspection and copying may, within 14 days after service of the subpoena or before the time specified for compliance if such time is less than 14 days after service, serve upon the party or attorney designated in the subpoena written objection to inspection or copying of any or all of the designated materials or the premises. If an objection is made, the party serving the subpoena shall not be entitled to inspect and copy the materials or inspect the premises except under the court’s order by which the subpoena was issued. If objection has been made, the party serving the subpoena may, upon notice to the person commanded to produce, move at any time for an order to compel the production. Such an order to compel production shall protect any person who is not a party or an officer of a party from significant expense resulting from the inspection and copying commanded.
(3) (A) On timely motion, the court by which a subpoena was issued shall quash or modify the subpoena if it
(i) fails to allow a reasonable time for compliance;
(ii) requires a person to travel for a deposition to a place other than the county in which that person resides or is employed or transacts business in person or at a place fixed by order of the court;
(iii) requires disclosure of privileged or other protected matter, no exception or waiver applies, or
(iv) subjects a person to undue burden.
(B) If a subpoena
(i) requires disclosure of a trade secret or other confidential research, development, or commercial information, or
(ii) requires disclosure of an unretained expert’s opinion or information not describing specific events or occurrences in a dispute resulting from the expert’s study made not at the request of any party. The court may, to protect a person subject to or affected by the subpoena, quash or modify the subpoena or, if the party on whose behalf the subpoena is issued shows a substantial need for the testimony or material that cannot be otherwise met without undue hardship and assures that the person to whom the subpoena is addressed will be reasonably compensated, the court may order appearance or production only upon specified conditions.
(e) Duties in responding to subpoena.
(1) A person responding to a subpoena to produce documents shall produce them as they are kept in the usual business course or organize and label them to correspond with the categories in demand.
(2) When information subject to a subpoena is withheld on a claim that it is privileged or subject to protection as trial preparation materials, the claim shall be made expressly. It shall be supported by a description of the nature of the documents, communications, or things not produced sufficient to enable the demanding party to contest the claim.
(f) Contempt. Failure by any person without adequate excuse to obey a subpoena served upon that person may be deemed a contempt of the court from which the subpoena was issued. An adequate cause for failure to obey exists when a subpoena purports to require a non-party deponent to attend at a place, not within limits provided by subdivision (c) of this rule. (Amended by order adopted June 1, 1978; by order adopted June 22, 1988, effective October 1, 1988; and by order adopted February 19, 1998, effective April 6, 1998.)
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