NEWS AND PUBLICATIONS  
MEDIA ACCESS RULES

When the revised Rules of Appellate Procedure went into effect on December 1, 2010, the media access rule for West Virginia Courts was updated and incorporated at the same time. The rule is now Rule 42 in the Rules of Appellate Procedure.

Rule 8 of the West Virginia Trial Court Rules

Rule 6 of the Rules of Practice and Procedure for Family Court

Media Usage Guidelines

You (“User”) may utilize media content uploaded by the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia and the West Virginia Judiciary (“the Court”) to SmugMug, Flickr, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn (“Media”) for educational, informational, and/or journalistic purposes with credit to the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia.

Use of the Media for any other commercial purposes, especially including advertisements, is prohibited. Likewise, use of Media may not explicitly or implicitly convey the Court’s endorsement of goods or services. Use of the Court’s logo for a commercial purpose is also strictly prohibited.

Judicial officers and judicial candidates may use the Court’s Media for political campaigns, subject to the West Virginia Judicial Code of Conduct, with certain restrictions. For example, photos of a judicial candidate used in a judicial campaign should not include any other judges or candidates, so there is no question about endorsement/opposition to or for any candidate. Alternately, if a judicial candidate uses a photo that includes other judges or candidates, there must be a disclaimer on the campaign material in print large enough to easily read that says: “This photo is from the public domain and is not indicative of any endorsement or opposition by or for another judge or candidate depicted therein.”

Other privacy restrictions may apply if an image contains an identifiable person, and User acknowledges use is at its own risk. All Users of Court Media agree to fully indemnify and hold harmless the Court for all claims arising out of the utilization of the Media. By using Court Media, User agrees to be bound by the terms and conditions of these Guidelines. The Court reserves the right to seek injunctive relief to enforce the provisions of these Guidelines, and if the Use is found to be in violation of these Guidelines, reimburse the Court for costs incurred in seeking legal enforcement.