West Virginia landlord guide — Magistrate Court, eviction filing & St. Marys Ohio River rental rules
📍 Magistrate Court: 301 Court Lane, Room B-6, St. Marys, WV 26170 👥 Pop. ~7,500 — Mid-Ohio Valley / Little Kanawha River ⚖️ 4th Judicial Circuit — Pleasants, Wood & Ritchie Counties 🏛 Ohio River, Pleasants Power Station — small energy county
West Virginia has NO mandatory notice period before filing eviction for nonpayment (§55-3A-1) - landlord can file immediately after rent is late. However, the tenant can stop proceedings by paying all unpaid rent, interest, and costs before the trial date (§37-6-23). Hearing must be scheduled between 5-10 judicial days after filing (§55-3A-1(b)). Tenant has 5 days from receiving summons to file a written answer. Appeals stay the eviction automatically upon filing with bond; poverty exception waives bond but still stays eviction (§55-3A-3(g)). No specific statute governing landlord entry or retaliation for private landlords.
Serve the required notice based on the eviction reason (nonpayment or lease violation).
Wait for the notice period to expire. If tenant cures the issue (where allowed), the process stops.
File an eviction case with the Magistrate Court. Pay the filing fee (~$50).
Tenant is served with a summons and has the opportunity to respond.
Attend the court hearing and present your case.
If you prevail, obtain a writ of possession from the court.
Law enforcement executes the writ and removes the tenant if necessary.
⚠️ Disclaimer: This page provides general information about West Virginia eviction laws and does not constitute legal advice.
Eviction procedures can vary by county and may change over time. Local jurisdictions may have additional requirements or tenant protections.
For specific legal guidance, consult a qualified West Virginia attorney or local legal aid organization.
🔍 Reduce Your Risk Before Signing a Lease:
West Virginia landlords who screen tenants carefully before signing a lease significantly
reduce their risk of ending up in eviction court. Understanding
tenant screening in West Virginia —
including background checks, credit history, income verification, and rental references — is one of the most
cost-effective steps you can take to protect your rental property. Before you ever need West Virginia's
eviction process, proper tenant screening can help
you identify red flags early and avoid problem tenancies altogether.
Ready to File?
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AI-generated, state-specific eviction notices, pay-or-quit letters, lease termination documents, and more — pre-filled with your tenant's information and built to West Virginia requirements.
Select your state, eviction reason, and the date you plan to serve notice. We'll calculate your earliest filing date and key milestones.
⚠️ Disclaimer: These calculations are estimates based on state statutes and typical court timelines. Actual results vary by county, court backlog, and case specifics. Always verify current requirements with your local courthouse. This is not legal advice.
Pleasants County is one of West Virginia’s smallest counties in both area and population, a compact river county of approximately 7,500 residents tucked along the Ohio River between the larger markets of Wood County to the south and Wetzel County to the north. The county seat of St. Marys — population roughly 1,900 — is a pleasant Ohio River town that serves as the commercial and governmental center for the county. St. Marys is one of the quieter county seats in the state: orderly, unpretentious, and oriented around the river, the county courthouse, and the modest retail and services that sustain a small rural community.
The defining industrial feature of Pleasants County is the Pleasants Power Station, a large coal-fired electricity generating facility on the Ohio River that has long been one of the county’s most significant employers. Like power plants throughout the Ohio Valley, the Pleasants facility has faced the headwinds of changing energy economics — its long-term operational status has been subject to ongoing review, and the plant’s employment trajectory has implications for the local rental market. When large industrial facilities in small counties operate at full staffing, they anchor a working-class rental demand that sustains the local housing market; when they curtail or close, the ripple effects on housing demand are immediate and lasting. Landlords in Pleasants County should stay attentive to the plant’s operational status as a leading indicator of rental market conditions.
Beyond the power plant, Pleasants County employment is anchored by county government, St. Marys schools, and a range of small businesses serving the local population. The Pleasants County Medical Center provides healthcare employment. Natural gas production and midstream infrastructure associated with the Marcellus shale play in the region have added some energy-sector activity, though the primary production zones are more concentrated in surrounding counties. Parkersburg (Wood County) is accessible via US-2 along the river, and some Pleasants County residents commute there for employment and services.
Rental Market and Filing Information
Pleasants County rents are modest. One-bedroom units in St. Marys typically rent in the $475–$625 range; two-bedroom homes or apartments run approximately $600–$800 per month. The market is small and landlord-tenant relationships in a county this size tend to be personal. Written leases, consistent documentation, and professional conduct matter even more in a small community where reputation travels quickly.
Evictions in Pleasants County are filed at the Magistrate Court, located at the Pleasants County Courthouse, 301 Court Lane, Room B-6, St. Marys, WV 26170. Magistrate Clerk Pam Cox can be reached at (304) 684-7197; fax (304) 684-3882. Two magistrates serve the county: Magistrate Mindy L. Hadley (Room B-8, 304-684-7882) and Magistrate Dawna Taylor (Room B-7, 304-684-7118).
Evictions proceed using Form MLTPTWR (Petition for Summary Relief for Wrongful Occupation of Residential Rental Property), available at courtswv.gov. No pre-filing notice is required for nonpayment. For lease violations, a written cure notice of 10 to 30 days before filing is advisable. After filing, the Pleasants County Sheriff serves the summons; the tenant has five days to respond. The Writ of Possession is executed by the Sheriff after judgment for the landlord. West Virginia imposes no cap on security deposits. Deposits must be returned with written itemization within 60 days of lease end or 45 days of new occupancy, whichever is shorter. Month-to-month tenancies require 30 days’ written notice. Self-help eviction is illegal under WV Code 55-3A-3. No rent control; no county rental licensing. Legal Aid of West Virginia: 1-866-255-4370. WV State Bar Lawyer Referral: (304) 558-7991.
🏛️ Courthouse Information and Locations for West Virginia
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⚠️ Legal Disclaimer: General informational purposes only. Not legal advice. West Virginia landlord-tenant law is governed by WV Code Chapter 37 and Chapter 55. Evictions filed in Pleasants County Magistrate Court: 301 Court Lane, Room B-6, St. Marys, WV 26170 — (304) 684-7197. Legal Aid of West Virginia: 1-866-255-4370. WV State Bar Lawyer Referral: (304) 558-7991. Last updated: March 2026.
