Misdemeanors, felonies, and DUI charges in Weirton and Hancock & Brooke County, West Virginia.
Weirton is our home base, and it is also one of the few cities in West Virginia split between two counties. Part of Weirton is in Hancock County and part is in Brooke County, and which side of that line an arrest happens on decides which county’s courts and which prosecutor handle the case.
Weirton also borders Pennsylvania and sits across the river from Steubenville, Ohio, so a good share of the people charged here live in another state.
Charges from the Hancock County side are filed in Hancock County Magistrate Court in New Cumberland, and felonies move to the Hancock County Circuit Court there. Charges from the Brooke County side are filed in Brooke County Magistrate Court in Wellsburg, and felonies move to the Brooke County Circuit Court in the same building. Both counties are in the First Judicial Circuit. City ordinance violations written by the Weirton Police Department are heard in Weirton Municipal Court.
Because the county line runs through the city, a Weirton case can be prosecuted by either of two offices. The Hancock County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office is at 1114 Ridge Avenue in New Cumberland, (304) 564-3933. The Brooke County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office is in the Brooke County Judicial Center, 620 Main Street, Suite 106, in Wellsburg, (304) 527-4220.
The two offices make their own decisions about charging, plea offers, and diversion, so two similar arrests a mile apart in Weirton can be handled differently.
The First Circuit’s adult probation office has a Weirton location at 3549 Main Street, in addition to its main office in the Brooke County Judicial Center. Hancock and Brooke counties share a juvenile drug court, and both are part of the adult drug court program with Ohio County, which includes a veterans track. Drug charges. Felony defense.
The charging paperwork names the court. If it says Hancock County Magistrate Court, the case is in New Cumberland; if it says Brooke County Magistrate Court, it is in Wellsburg.
The prosecuting attorney for the county where the offense happened: Hancock County’s office in New Cumberland or Brooke County’s office in Wellsburg. City ordinance cases are heard in Weirton Municipal Court.
Yes. The case is in a West Virginia court under West Virginia law, and bond conditions or a conviction can affect you at home as well.
Both of our attorneys were raised in the Northern Panhandle and appear regularly in its courts. We offer phone and video consultations for clients who would rather not make the drive to Weirton.
This page provides general information about West Virginia law and local courts and is not legal advice. Court locations and procedures can change; check your citation or court paperwork for the controlling details, and consult a licensed attorney about your situation.
Talk with us before your first court date. Consultations are free. Call (304) 919-2912 or (304) 919-2119, or send us a message to get started.