Executive Orders
| Agency Orders | AG Opinions
| Ethics Opinions | Grievance Decisions
The Administrative Law Division is the official repository
of executive agency orders, opinions and decisions. When an official
copy of such a document is required for a legal action or other purpose,
the copy should come from this official filing. See Ordering Copies
for information about obtaining copies or certified copies of these
documents.
Executive Orders
Orders issued by the Governor are filed both for archival
purposes and for notice in the State Register with the Secretary of
State. See our Executive
Records section for more information about executive orders.
Agency Orders
From time to time, an agency head may issue an order which
is filed for publication in the State Register. Not every agency
order is filed with the Secretary of State.
Attorney General Opinions
Most often, advice of the Attorney General is provided as
client-advice and is not considered an official opinion. However,
when an official opinion is issued, it is filed for publication in the
State Register. Official opinions are not considered to have the
force of law in the same way as a court opinion, but weight is given
to these opinions when other official interpretation is lacking.
Visit the website of the Attorney
General for more information.
Ethics Opinions
The West Virginia Ethics Commission, created by the
Legislature in 1989 to implement a code of conduct for public officials,
is empowered by law to issue official advisory opinions on matters of
ethical conduct under the law, and on the application of the Open
Governmental Proceedings Act. Those opinions are filed for
publication in the State Register. For more information, visit the
website of the Ethics Commission.
Grievance Decisions
The West Virginia Grievance Board was created in 1985 to
resolve employment problems and disputes between employees and county
boards of education, higher education institutions and state
agencies. The board conducts hearings on grievances which reach that
level, and issues official opinions. Official copies of those
opinions are available from the Secretary of State, and the text of the
opinions can be accessed online at the website of the West
Virginia Grievance Board.
