Execute a Free West Virginia Probation Search

The Mountain State provides a variety of useful tools to help searchers perform a free West Virginia probation search. Probation records are available to citizens courtesy of the state’s own judiciary, correctional, and rehabilitation divisions.

When a person is convicted of a criminal offense, probation is sometimes part of their sentence and a condition of their release from custody. Probation requires the offender to follow specific guidelines, such as refraining from committing additional crimes or submitting to random drug or alcohol screenings.

Probation is not the same as parole, which is typically granted to a person who has served a partial sentence in prison and has met the requirement of a parole board to qualify for release into society.

This resource links to official online databases to assist with accessing probation records and provides contact details for record custodians that host information on probationers anywhere in West Virginia.

How To Run a Free West Virginia Probation Search

The West Virginia Division of Corrections & Rehabilitation (DCR) offers several types of offender searches via its online web application, including information about offenders who have been previously housed in the state’s jails and prisons.¹

The division also provides public access to information about individuals who are taken into custody, escape from detention or abscond from probation or parole.

The West Virginia Judiciary provides access to court records which are a useful starting point for a probation search in West Virginia. The court records search tool is updated regularly and requires minimal information to uncover insight into an offender’s criminal history, including probation status.²

To conduct a probation search for free, follow these steps:

• Visit the West Virginia Judiciary website and click on the court search tool.
• Enter the offender’s name. If known, also add the court location or other details to narrow down the search.
• The application will return a list of matching cases. Clicking on a case number will provide details about any judgment made. If the offender was released on probation, this will be shown in the more detailed results.

The search tool returns a maximum of 30 results, and includes cases from several decades ago. To narrow down the results, try to provide a full name and as many other details as possible.

Check for West Virginia Probation Records via County & Municipal Agencies

The West Virginia Judiciary provides county information page can help people looking for court records perform a more targeted search.^{3, 4}

While most criminal court cases should be accessible using the statewide tool mentioned in the section above, it may sometimes be useful to contact an individual county court. Simply click on the relevant county in the map on the county information page to see local court details details.

Details for the clerks of court for some of the magistrate’s courts in the main counties in the state are provided below:

In-person inquiries are also an option, as much of the information needed for a probation search in West Virginia is held as public record in the criminal case files of each individual criminal offender.

To search for info in person, visit the courthouse in the county or municipality where the offender was originally charged with the criminal infraction. Reach out to the court clerk in the specific county for help with finding the information needed. There may be a fee to complete the search, especially if only limited records information is available. If this is the case the court clerk will provide information about charges before beginning the search.

Contacting local courts for help with more complex searches may be beneficial as they most likely receive fewer inquiries, and can therefore provide more personal service.

County sheriffs and city police may maintain wanted or fugitive lists which can be useful for checking probation violations. These will be discussed in a later section of this resource.

View a West Virginia Probationer’s Violations & Contact Their Supervising Officer

In West Virginia, as in all states, the criminal courts set specific requirements for offenders granted probation. If the individual fails to comply with the conditions of their release, then they can be found guilty of violating their probation.

Violations may range from failing to report to the person’s assigned probation officer, failing to submit to drug testing, failing to register a change of address, committing another crime, possessing a firearm or associating with other convicted felons.

People who are on probation but fail to report to their assigned supervising officer when scheduled or when randomly prompted are said to have absconded. Typically, absconded probationers are subject to be remanded into custody.

The West Virginia Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation (DCR) maintains an Escapees & Absconders list, including information about wanted individuals.⁵

Another useful resource for wanted individuals is the West Virginia State Police’s collection of Most Wanted lists.⁶

Although violations are assessed individually by the probation officer, most instances of violation result in the return of the offender to custody where they may ultimately serve out more of their sentence or even the remaining balance of their original sentence for the violation of probation.

Criminal records in West Virginia usually provide a great deal of insight into the original criminal charge as well as information regarding the crime for which the offender was ultimately convicted, which may be a lesser charge if a plea bargain was offered and accepted.

Any violation of probation is a crime and is added to the offender’s criminal record along with the disposition of the case, such as the person’s return to custody.

To locate this information for West Virginia offenders:

• Step 1: Determine the jurisdiction where the offense was committed.
• Step 2: Look up the address for the courthouse where the sentence was imposed.
• Step 3: Visit the clerk of court and request public records regarding the case or the individual, if available.

The West Virginia Judiciary’s Division of Probation Services maintains contact information for supervision office staff. The state is broken into 30 circuits for the purposes of rehabilitative services, including probation services.

To find contact information for an individual offender’s supervising officer in West Virginia:

• Step 1: Visit the division’s website, and identify the county where the sentence was handed down, which should be made clear in the results of a probation search in West Virginia.
• Step 2: Search for the circuit that encompasses that county.
• Step 3: View information on the chief and deputy chief for each circuit, along with phone, fax and email information.

Track Down Someone on Parole in West Virginia

West Virginia makes probation and parole information available to the public free of charge. To track down someone who is on parole in West Virginia, visit the website of the state’s Division of Corrections & Rehabilitation.

In the interest of public safety and for the convenience of families and friends of offenders jailed or previously jailed in West Virginia, parole information is a matter of public record..

Search for information on someone paroled in the state with just a few clicks:

First, scroll to the box on the left-hand side of the WV Division of Corrections & Rehabilitation page that shows Offender Searches.⁷

Select whether the offender was incarcerated in jail or prison to access the relevant search tool.

Enter identifying information as requested on the form.

Click on the person’s name to view information on the person’s custody status, parole or probation status, and more.

The West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals Division of Probation Services is responsible for a number of programs to assist with the rehabilitation of offenders.⁸

The West Virginia state legislature is very specific about the state’s commitment to cater to the public’s need to access criminal records information for both currently jailed and previously incarcerated individuals.

A probation search in West Virginia is often necessary to allow concerned citizens to get information about potentially dangerous offenders who move into their area as well as for landlords who rent to offenders, employers who hire them, and more.

As an “open records” state, the state respects the rights of the public at large when it comes to accessing information regarding criminal charges, sentencing, case disposition, parole and probation; because of this, running a West Virginia probation search is streamlined and free.