WEST virginia legislature

2023 regular session

Introduced

House Bill 3357

By Delegate C. Pritt

[Introduced February 10, 2023; Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary]

A BILL to amend the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by adding thereto a new section, designated §51-3-20, relating to clarifying that a raised seal is not a prerequisite for a court order to be valid; and to clarify that electronic filing without a raised seal is a permissible form of filing.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:

ARTICLE 3. COURTS IN GENERAL.

§51-3-20. Raised seal clarification.

Unless otherwise preempted or precluded under federal law, a raised seal shall not be a requirement for a court order to be valid in this state. Electronic filing shall be a permissible form of filing without the necessity of a raised seal.

NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to clarify that a raised seal is not necessary for a court order to be valid and to clarify that electronic filing without a raised seal is permissible.

Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken from a heading or the present law and underscoring indicates new language that would be added.