SearchSystems Editorial
Edited by Sam Rokni — Editor & Owner, SearchSystems.net. Public records professional since 1999. NAPBS founding member. Full bio & credentials.
Last reviewed: June 04, 2026 · Methodology: all Grant County record-source URLs verified against the official local and West Virginia state publishers on the review date. 2 primary .gov / official sources cited below.
Grant County — Key Numbers (2026)
Population, demographics, and county-seat data for Grant County, West Virginia — verified against U.S. Census 2024 estimates.
10,971
Population
Census estimate
4,160
Households
Census estimate
$52,877
Median income
Annual household
$150,000
Median home value
Census ACS
Petersburg
County seat
In West Virginia
Criminal records
see state portal
Court records
3 sources
Wants & warrants
see state portal
Property records
see state portal
Vital records
2 sources
Voter records
see state portal
Professional licenses
see state portal
Recorded documents
see state portal
Count of verified official sources per record type. Multiple sources One source Use state portal
Grant County Records at a Glance
| Record type | Grant County verified sources |
|---|---|
| Court records | Grant - Magistrate Court | West Virginia Judiciary West Virginia Southern District Court | PACER: Federal Court… |
| Criminal records | No verified source — see Grant County state portal below |
| Wants & warrants | No verified source — see Grant County state portal below |
| Property records | No verified source — see Grant County state portal below |
| Vital records | Vital Records (Interactive) - West Virginia Culture Center :… Vital Record Availability - West Virginia Culture Center : W… |
| Voter records | No verified source — see Grant County state portal below |
| Professional licenses | No verified source — see Grant County state portal below |
| Recorded documents | No verified source — see Grant County state portal below |
Count of officially verified .gov / .us record sources cataloged for Grant County. Data verified June 04, 2026.
What Changed in 2026 — Grant County Records
2026
Grant County court records portal verified
State court system links for Grant County verified against the West Virginia judiciary portal in 2026.
2026
FBI Identity History Summary (federal complement)
For records that may exist outside West Virginia, the FBI Identity History Summary at fbi.gov complements all county-level state records.
The 4-Step Grant County Records Pathway
1
Step 1 — Start at the Grant County clerk/courthouse
For most local records (court cases, property deeds, marriage licenses), the Grant County clerk's office is the first stop.
2
Step 2 — Use the West Virginia statewide systems
Criminal background, court case search, voter registration, and professional licensing are all run at the West Virginia state level — not by the county.
3
Step 3 — Federal sources for federal records
Federal court cases (PACER), federal tax liens (IRS), military records (NPRC), and immigration data (ICE) are all federal — not held by the county.
4
Step 4 — Cross-check before relying on data
Most county portals lag 24-48 hours behind the courthouse. For time-sensitive verification, call the clerk directly.
Five Things People Get Wrong About Grant County Records
❌ Myth: "Grant County maintains all criminal records."
✓ Truth: False. Criminal records for Grant County are held by the West Virginia state repository, NOT the county. The county sheriff has only the local arrest log.
❌ Myth: "Records sealed in Grant County are gone everywhere."
✓ Truth: False. Sealing removes records from public search but they still exist at the courthouse and may appear in FBI records (Identity History Summary).
❌ Myth: "Free 'instant background' sites have Grant County data."
✓ Truth: False. Only the official West Virginia state repository has verified, current Grant County data. Free sites often have stale data.
❌ Myth: "The Grant County assessor's value is what I'll sell my home for."
✓ Truth: False. The Grant County assessor's value is for property tax purposes only — usually below market value.
❌ Myth: "All county records older than 50 years are public."
✓ Truth: Partially false. Public-records rules vary by record type AND state. Court records and deeds are usually older-public; vital records remain restricted longer (often 75-125 years).
Primary Sources (All Verified)
- www.courtswv.gov — Court records — official source
- fbi.gov — FBI Identity History Summary (federal record)
Related — Grant County & West Virginia Records
For records not specific to Grant County, use West Virginia's statewide system or the national hub.
📍 West Virginia statewide record systems:
- West Virginia Court Records →
- West Virginia Criminal Records →
- West Virginia Property Records →
- West Virginia Vital Records →
- West Virginia Voter Records →
- West Virginia Wants & Warrants →
- West Virginia Licenses →
- West Virginia Recorded Documents →
🇺🇸 National hubs:
Related Public Records
West Virginia statewide records: Court records · Criminal records · Wants & warrants · Property records · Vital records · Voter records · Licenses · Recorded docs
National directories: Court records · Criminal records · Property records · Vital records · Federal databases
About Grant County, West Virginia
Grant County is located in West Virginia. The county seat is Petersburg.
- Population: 10,971
- Households: 4,160
- Median household income: $52,877
- Median home value: $150,000
- Below poverty line: 11.7%
- Land area: 477.4 sq mi
- Population density: 23.0 people / sq mi
- Public libraries indexed: 2
- NCES schools indexed: 6
Grant - Magistrate Court | West Virginia Judiciary
Official Free
Court County · Grant · Court · Magistrate Court · Court Information · Magistrate Willard L. Earle, II (address and fax number same as Magistrate Clerk) 304-257-1289 · Magistrate Emory William "Bill" Feaster, Jr. (address and fax number same as Magistrate Clerk) 304-257-1289 ·
West Virginia Court Records Access
Official Free
Log in to the federal Judiciary’s electronic public access services. Close PACER Case Locator PACER Log in Manage PACER Account
Magistrate Case Record Search - West Virginia Judiciary
Official Free
Disclaimer: The Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia makes no representation as to the accuracy or completeness of the information provided, and assumes no liability for any general or specific use of the information. Therefore, there is no guarantee that retrieved records represent a ...
Vital Records (Interactive) - West Virginia Culture Center : West Virginia Culture Center
Official Free
The Vital Research Records Project is placing Birth, Death, and Marriage certificates on-line. Users can search the records and view scanned images of the original records. Certified copies of these records are available only from the issuing county or the West Virginia Vital Registration Office.
Vital Record Availability - West Virginia Culture Center : West Virginia Culture Center
Official Free
Barbour: 1843 – 1849, 1853 – 1969 Berkeley: 1780 – 1856, 1858, 1862 – 1970 Boone: 1865 – 1968 Braxton: 1836 – 1847, 1865 – 1967 Brooke: 1797, 1799 – 1833, 1835 – 1971 Cabell: 1809 – 1968 Calhoun: 1856 – 1969 Clay: 1858 – 1969 Doddridge: 1845 – 1970 Fayette: 1830 – 1854, 1857, 1861, 1864 – 1968 Gilmer: 1845 – 1847, 1849 – 1969 Grant: 1866 – 1969 Greenbrier: 1781 – 1969 Hampshire: 1824 – 1828, 1863, 1865 – 1970 Hancock: 1854 – 1873, 1880 – 1971 Hardy: 1792, 1795 – 1796, 1799, 1801 – 1842, 1844 – 1847, 1849 – 1851, 1853 – 1970 Harrison: 1784
Vital Records (Interactive) - West Virginia Culture Center : West Virginia Culture Center
Official Free
The Vital Research Records Project is placing Birth, Death, and Marriage certificates on-line. Users can search the records and view scanned images of the original records. Certified copies of these records are available only from the issuing county or the West Virginia Vital Registration Office.
West Virginia Secretary of State - Elections - Am I Registered To Vote
Official Free
This web site is for informational purposes only. The information displayed reflects the most recent entry on your record by your county and is updated nightly. Activity occurring today will not appear until the next day.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I look up court cases in Grant County?
Grant County court cases are searchable through the Grant - Magistrate Court | West Virginia Judiciary portal: https://www.courtswv.gov/node/32637. West Virginia also operates a state-level case lookup through the WV Courts system. For federal matters, see PACER.
Are West Virginia marriage records public?
Marriage records in West Virginia are generally public — anyone can verify that a marriage occurred and request a non-certified copy. Certified copies (needed for legal purposes like name changes or immigration) may be restricted to the spouses, immediate family, or those with a court order.
Can my employer see a sealed record in West Virginia?
Generally, most private employers running a standard name-based check cannot see a sealed West Virginia record. However, government employers, law enforcement, schools, healthcare facilities, and any role requiring a fingerprint-based check can see sealed records under specific statutory exemptions. Confirm specifics with the sealing court.
What's the difference between a court record and a criminal record in West Virginia?
A court record shows everything filed in a specific case — pleadings, motions, judgments. A criminal record (rap sheet) is a person-centric history from the West Virginia State Police that aggregates arrests and dispositions across all courts in West Virginia. Court records are searched by case; criminal records by person.