{"data":{"id":"us-wv/w.-va.-code-29-21-17","jurisdiction":"us-wv","citation":"W. Va. Code § 29-21-17","heading":"Private practice of law by public defenders.","body":"(a) No full-time public defender or full-time assistant public defender may engage in any private practice of law except as provided in this section.\n(b) A board of directors may permit a newly employed full-time public defender or full-time assistant public defender to engage in the private practice of law for compensation for the sole purpose of expeditiously closing and withdrawing from existing private cases from a prior private practice. In no event shall any person employed for more than ninety days as a full-time public defender or full-time assistant public defender be engaged in any other private practice of law for compensation: Provided, That until January 1, 1993, the prohibition against the private practice of law does not apply to full-time public defenders employed in Class II, III or IV counties as defined by article seven, chapter seven of this code.\n(c) A board of directors may permit a full-time public defender or full-time assistant public defender to engage in private practice for compensation if the defender is acting pursuant to an appointment made under a court rule or practice of equal applicability to all attorneys in the jurisdiction and if the defender remits to the public defender corporation all compensation received.\n(d) A board of directors may permit a full-time public defender or full-time assistant public defender to engage in uncompensated private practice of law if the public defender or assistant public defender is acting:\n(1) Pursuant to an appointment made under a court rule or practice of equal applicability to all attorneys in the jurisdiction; or\n(2) On behalf of a close friend or family member; or\n(3) On behalf of a religious, community or charitable group.\n(e) Violation of the requirements of this section is sufficient grounds for immediate summary dismissal regardless of the conditions of employment established by a corporation's board of directors.","path":["CHAPTER 29. MISCELLANEOUS BOARDS AND OFFICERS.","ARTICLE 21. PUBLIC DEFENDER SERVICES."],"source_url":"https://code.wvlegislature.gov/29-21-17/","current_through":"as of 2026-08-03; contains at least the enactments of the 2026 Regular Session","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-09-06T00:26:50Z","sha256":"b73b3e7eaacc08b0d916b75776caef9dd5074929e45fb8a480bd87fbc3aefda1","source_id":"us-wv","stale":true,"prev":"us-wv/w.-va.-code-29-21-16","next":"us-wv/w.-va.-code-29-21-18"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}