On July 1, 2022, the judicial system in West Virginia will have an Intermediate Court of Appeals (ICA). On February 25, 2022, the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia entered an order requesting public comment on amendments to procedural rules that are necessary to set forth the appellate procedure for the ICA, once established. The proposed amendments are available for public comment on or before April 11, 2022.

RE: On July 15, 2021, the Court entered an order adopting amendments to the Attorney Oath, adding a Civility Oath.

RE: On May 17, 2021, the Court entered an order adopting proposed Amendments to Rule 7.0 of the Rules for Admission to the Practice of Law in West Virginia, No. 21-Rules-10.

RE: On April 15, 2021, the Court entered an order adopting proposed Amendments to Rule 2 of the West Virginia Trial Court Rules, No. 21-Rules-03.

RE: By order entered on January 28, 2021, the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia approved a 30-day period of public comment on amendments to Rules 2.05 and 2.29 of the West Virginia Trial Court Rules. The Trial Court Rules are being amended to reflect that Mason County is part of the Fifth Circuit. The public comment period closes on March 1, 2021. All comments must be filed in writing with the Clerk of the Court on or before March 1, 2021.

RE: On January 28, 2021, the Court entered an order refusing to adopt amendments to Rule 6 of the Rules of Procedure for Child Abuse and Neglect Proceedings.

RE: Order Not Requiring In-Person CLE credits for July 1, 2020-June 30, 2022 Reporting Period. On January 28, 2021, Due to ongoing concerns associated with the COVID-19 virus, the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia has granted a request from the Mandatory Continuing Legal Education Commission for a temporary waiver of current CLE rules and regulations which limit the CLE credits earned through video, audio, correspondence, telephone seminars, computer-based training courses, and in-house instruction. There is now no such limitation for the 2020-2022 reporting period. Attorneys are now able to earn all or any portion of the required 24 CLE credit requirement through video, audio, correspondence, telephone seminars, computer-based training courses and in-house instruction, so long as the courses otherwise satisfy the requirements of the CLE rules and are approved for CLE credit in West Virginia.

RE: Adoption of Amendments to the Rules of Appellate Procedure. On December 03, 2020, the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia entered an order approving amendments to Rules 19 and 20 of the Rules of Appellate Procedure. The amendments give the respondent guardian ad litem in a case time to present oral argument separate from the time allotted to the respondent. The court also approved amendments to Rule 7, requiring the appendix record in an electronic format, and requiring that official transcript pages be numbered sequentially unless the transcripts already contain assigned page numbers.

RE: Request for Public Comment on Proposed Amendments to the Rules of Appellate Procedure. On September 17, 2020, the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia entered an order to consider proposed amendments to Rules 19 and 20 of the Rules of Appellate Procedure. The proposed amendments would give the guardian ad litem in a case time to present oral argument separate from the time allotted to the petitioner and respondent. The Court also considered amendments to Rule 7, requiring the appendix record in an electronic format. Comments are encouraged and must be filed in writing with the Clerk of the Court on or before October 30, 2020.

In Re: Request for Public Comment on Proposed Amendments to Rule 14, Succession Planning, of the West Virginia State Bar Administrative Rules. By order entered on August 13, 2020, the Court approved a 30-day comment period of proposed amendments to Rule 14, Succession Planning, of the West Virginia State Bard Administrative Rules. Comments must be filed in writing with the Clerk of the Court on or before September 18, 2020.