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Small claims by state · checked

Court: Magistrate Court (civil). Claims up to $20,000. Each fact below links to the official source we read. Anything we could not confirm says “Check with your court”.

Limit

$20,000

West Virginia has no separate small claims court; magistrate courts hear civil actions up to $20,000, not counting interest and costs. They cannot hear libel/slander, false imprisonment, malicious prosecution, equity or real-estate title cases.

Source: W. Va. Code § 50-2-1 Civil jurisdiction · checked 26 Oct 2026

Filing fee

Check with your court Not verified

We could not confirm this from an official source. Ask the court clerk before you file.

Lawyers

Check with your court Not verified

We could not confirm this from an official source. Ask the court clerk before you file.

Serving a corporation

Check with your court Not verified

We could not confirm this from an official source. Ask the court clerk before you file.

Demand before suing

Check with your court Not verified

We could not confirm this from an official source. Ask the court clerk before you file.

Official self-help

Check with your court Not verified

We could not confirm this from an official source. Ask the court clerk before you file.

Suing Meta from West Virginia

Meta’s terms point disputes to California courts or arbitration and cap its liability, so a West Virginia small-claims case is leverage, not a sure thing. Read the small-claims checklist before you pay a fee, then draft your demand letter in the free kit: pick West Virginia and it checks your loss amount against the limit.

Fees and limits change, and local courts can add costs. Confirm with the court clerk before you file.

LockoutCase is a self-help tool, not a law firm, and not a substitute for the advice of an attorney.

Draft the demand letter

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West Virginia small claims, answered

What is the small-claims limit in West Virginia?
West Virginia has no separate small claims court; magistrate courts hear civil actions up to $20,000, not counting interest and costs. They cannot hear libel/slander, false imprisonment, malicious prosecution, equity or real-estate title cases.
How much does it cost to file a small claim in West Virginia?
Check with your court: we could not confirm this from an official source.
Can I bring a lawyer to small claims in West Virginia?
Check with your court: we could not confirm this from an official source.
Where do these facts come from?
Each fact on this page links to the official court, statute or government source we read. We last checked West Virginia on 26 Oct 2026. Anything we could not confirm says “Check with your court”.
Is this legal advice?
No. LockoutCase is a self-help tool, not a law firm, and not a substitute for the advice of an attorney. It shows general information from official sources; confirm with the court clerk before you file.