{"data":{"id":"us-wv/w.-va.-code-50-4-2","jurisdiction":"us-wv","citation":"W. Va. Code § 50-4-2","heading":"Commencement of criminal prosecutions.","body":"Except where the provisions of this code or rule of the Supreme Court of Appeals permit the commencement of a criminal prosecution through the issuance of a citation, a criminal prosecution shall be commenced by the filing of a complaint in accordance with the requirements of rules of the Supreme Court of Appeals.","path":["CHAPTER 50. MAGISTRATE COURTS.","ARTICLE 4. PROCEDURE BEFORE TRIAL."],"source_url":"https://code.wvlegislature.gov/50-4-2/","current_through":"as of 2026-08-03; contains at least the enactments of the 2026 Regular Session","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-09-06T00:30:44Z","sha256":"73971831fb536bc4cd2f859881b35c3fa164e1a324e69e71936fc8f43bfd1474","source_id":"us-wv","stale":true,"prev":"us-wv/w.-va.-code-50-4-1","next":"us-wv/w.-va.-code-50-4-2a"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}