This bill proposes the establishment of the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals Victim's Fund, aimed at providing compensation to individuals adversely affected by the actions or inactions of the Judicial Investigative Committee and other divisions under the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals. The fund will be administered by the Legislative Claims Commission, which will oversee the application process for financial relief. Affected individuals must submit detailed claims to the fund's supervisory authority, which will determine the validity of the claims and facilitate payment to the claimants. The authority also retains the right to deny claims deemed invalid, with an option for applicants to appeal such decisions.

Additionally, the bill allows claims to be filed retroactively for up to 10 years from July 1, 2025, for those negatively impacted by the actions of the aforementioned committees. This legislative measure aims to ensure accountability and provide a mechanism for redress for individuals who have suffered due to the judicial system's shortcomings in West Virginia.

Statutes affected:
Introduced Version: 14A-1-1, 14A-1-2, 14A-1-3