West Virginia Creates Business Court Division

In West Virginia, a state which has frequently topped rankings for having the least fair legal environment and been named a Judicial Hellhole, steps are being made to put the state in the right direction – but are they enough?

The State Supreme Court created a Business Court Division for handing commercial litigation in a separate docket, since these issues are often very detailed and require background knowledge in business, like taxes or copyrights.  According to the West Virginia Record, the Business Court Division will start on October 10 of this year.

This was lauded as a “step in the right direction” from many, such as the West Virginia Chamber of Commerce and the Defense Trial Counsel.

However, not everyone thinks that enough measures have been taken.  Richie Heath of West Virginia Citizens Against Lawsuit Abuse said the court would prove “useful,” but addressed his concerns stating,
“the proposal does little to address the numerous areas of law in which West Virginia finds itself outside of the national legal mainstream.”

We’ll continue to watch as West Virginia tries to rescue itself from the bottoms of judicial rankings and create a business friendly environment, where jobs and economies prosper. Stay tuned!