West Virginia Code Chapter 39. Records and Papers § 39-3-3. Recordation of certified copies at instance of county court when record lost or destroyed

Where any records have been or shall be lost or destroyed, by fire or otherwise, and the contents thereof shall have been recorded in the clerk's office of any court of any county in this State, or in the auditor's office, or in any other proper office in this State, the county court of the county wherein such records are so lost or destroyed may cause duly certified copies of the same to be procured from the auditor's office, such clerk's office or other proper office of any county; and it shall be the duty of the auditor or the clerk of any court of this State, or other custodian of records, to permit such copies to be made, and, when correctly copied and certified to be true copies of such record, the same shall be recorded in the proper clerk's office of the county wherein such records are lost or destroyed, in well-bound books provided for that purpose, whereupon the record thereof shall have the same force and effect as evidence for all purposes as the original records have, or would have had, and copies may be taken and certified by the clerk in whose office such copied records may be, which copies, when so made and certified by such clerk, shall be received as prima facie evidence for all purposes, and with like effect as copies from original records. And the county court of any county desiring to procure copies of any such records in other counties or offices shall make provision for the payment of such fees therefor as may be allowed by law or agreed upon.