By Steven Allen Adams, Parkersburg News and Sentinel
CHARLESTON, W.Va. —
CHARLESTON — The House of Delegates adopted several amendments to a bill creating an intermediate court of appeals in West Virginia.
Senate Bill 275, which establishes the court between the lower courts and the West Virginia Supreme Court, is up on third reading today.
The legislation creates two three-judge districts to hear appeals of circuit court criminal and civil cases, guardianships and conservatorships, family court cases and decisions made by administrative law judges, the Health Care Authority and Workers’ Compensation Board of Review starting Jan. 1, 2023.
Fiscal notes estimate an intermediate court system could cost as much as $8.5 million to start up and $7.2 million in its first full year, but delayed implementation would not have an impact on the fiscal 2021 general revenue budget being discussed in the House and Senate.
The Supreme Court has operated under a rule since 2011 that all appeals are a matter of right and has issued written decisions in all appeals. Prior to 2011, the Supreme Court only heard appeals at its discretion. Lawmakers hope the intermediate court takes pressure off the circuit and family courts, while allowing the Supreme Court to focus on important cases that could affect how laws are interpreted. …