West Virginia Bill 4650 restricts municipal court jury trials to cases with jail time or fines over $5,000

Original title: Modifying the process by which a Defendant is entitled to a trial by jury in municipal court

Last action · January 21, 2026: To House JudiciarySponsors: Joe Funkhouser and 7 others

Bill progressHistory & official text ↓

Introduced

Committee

Floor Vote

Passed

Law

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What This Bill Proposed

House Bill 4650 establishes that defendants are entitled to a jury trial only if they face potential jail confinement or a fine exceeding $5,000. When a jury trial is granted, the municipal court must follow criminal procedure rules using a 12-member jury.

Who It Would Have Affected

Groups the bill's text would have affected, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.

Directly affected

Municipal court defendants

Defendants' eligibility to receive a jury trial is restricted based on whether the potential fine exceeds $5,000 or carries jail time.

Directly affected

Municipal courts

Courts must follow magistrate court criminal procedure rules and utilize 12-member juries when a jury trial is granted.

Key Facts

You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is entitled to a jury trial in municipal court under this bill?

Only defendants who have been charged with an offense for which a period of confinement in jail may be imposed, or a fine of more than $5,000 may be imposed.

How many members are on a municipal court jury under the bill's provisions?

The jury in must consist of 12 members.

What else do you want to know?

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Where This Stands

This bill did not become law - Died at adjournment · in House committee.

Procedural history

4 actions

Jan 21, 2026HouseCommittee
To House Judiciary
Jan 21, 2026HouseIntroduced
Introduced in House
Jan 21, 2026HouseCommittee
To Judiciary
Jan 21, 2026HouseIntroduced
Filed for introduction

Version history

Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.

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