West Virginia Code Chapter 55. Actions, Suits and Arbitration; Judicial Sale § 55-7J-1. Action for financial exploitation of an elderly person, protected person, or incapacitated adult; definitions

(a) Any elderly person, protected person, or incapacitated adult against whom an act of financial exploitation has been committed may bring an action under this article against any person who has committed an act of financial exploitation against him or her by filing a civil complaint for financial exploitation, a petition for a financial exploitation protective order, or both.

(b) For the purposes of this article:

(c) Any person who believes that an elderly person, protected person, or incapacitated adult is suffering financial exploitation due to the intentional misappropriation or misuse of funds or undue influence may bring an action for a protective order pursuant to this section in the magistrate court or circuit court in the county in West Virginia in which the elderly person, protected person, or incapacitated adult resides or the financial exploitation occurred: Provided, That an order granting a financial exploitation protective order to stay further diminution of the assets of an elderly person, protected person, or incapacitated adult shall be temporary in nature.

(d) An action for a financial exploitation protective order brought under this section is commenced by the filing of a verified petition. Temporary relief may be granted without notice to the person alleged to be engaging in financial exploitation and without that person being present: Provided, That notice shall be provided to the person alleged to be engaging in financial exploitation as soon as practicable, and that no final relief may be granted on the petition without a full, adversarial evidentiary hearing on the merits before the court.

(e) If a magistrate court grants the petition for a financial exploitation protective order and issues a temporary financial exploitation protective order, the magistrate court shall immediately transfer the matter to the circuit court of the county in which the petition was filed. Upon receipt of the notice of transfer from the magistrate court, the circuit court shall set the matter for a review hearing within 20 days. Any review hearing shall be a full, adversarial evidentiary hearing on the merits before the court. After a hearing, the circuit court may issue a permanent protective order containing any relief the circuit court determines necessary to protect the alleged victim if the court finds by a preponderance of the evidence that:

(f) An order entered under this section shall state that a violation of the order may result in criminal prosecution under § 61-2-29b of this code and state the penalties therefor.