reglab/housing_qa huggingface dataset:
WV Code § 57-1-10 (2021)
2021 West Virginia Code|Chapter 57. Evidence and Witnesses|Article 1. Legislative Acts and Resolutions; Public Records|§57-1-10. Certificate of Clerk of County Court as to Certain Tax Records

The certificate of the clerk of any county court of the entry or nonentry of any tract of land for taxation on the land books of any county wherein the land ought to have been charged or of the delinquency of any such land for the nonpayment of taxes charged thereon, and the amount of the taxes charged as delinquent, or such clerk's certificate of the sale of such land for the nonpayment of taxes, shall, in any suit in relation to such lands, be prima facie evidence of what is stated in such certificate: Provided, That it be filed with the papers of said suit and notice thereof given to the opposite party or his attorney at least twenty days before the first day of the term at which it is to be offered as evidence. When a certificate purports to be signed by any such clerk, it may be admitted as evidence without proof of his signature.
WV Code § 57-1-11 (2021)
2021 West Virginia Code|Chapter 57. Evidence and Witnesses|Article 1. Legislative Acts and Resolutions; Public Records|§57-1-11. Withdrawal of Original Paper Filed in Cause; Retention of Copy

The court in the clerk's office whereof there is an original paper filed in a cause (although decided) may, for good cause, order it to be delivered to any person, retaining in its stead a certified copy thereof, and make any order to prevent the improper use of the original.
WV Code § 57-1-12 (2021)
2021 West Virginia Code|Chapter 57. Evidence and Witnesses|Article 1. Legislative Acts and Resolutions; Public Records|§57-1-12. Authentication of Records and Proceedings of Courts of United States or Other States; Full Faith and Credit

The records and judicial proceedings of any court of the United States, or of any state or territory, or of any country subject to the jurisdiction of the United States, shall be proved or admitted in any court in this state, by the attestation of the clerk, and the seal of the court annexed, if there be a seal, together with a certificate of the judge, chief justice, or presiding magistrate, that the said attestation is in due form. And the said records and judicial proceedings, so authenticated, shall have such faith and credit given to them in every court within this state as they have by law or usage in the courts of the state or jurisdiction from which they are taken. Full faith and credit for child support orders shall be accorded by this state in conformity with federal law.
WV Code § 57-1-13 (2021)
2021 West Virginia Code|Chapter 57. Evidence and Witnesses|Article 1. Legislative Acts and Resolutions; Public Records|§57-1-13. Authentication of Public Records Not Pertaining to Courts; Full Faith and Credit

All records and exemplifications of books, which may be kept in any public office of the United States, or of any state, or territory, or of any country subject to the jurisdiction of the United States, not appertaining to a court, shall be proved or admitted in any court or office in this state by the attestation of the keeper of the said records or books, and the seal of his office annexed, if there be a seal, together with a certificate of the presiding justice of the court of the county, parish or district in which such office may be kept, or of the Governor, or Secretary of State, the chancellor or keeper of the great seal, of the state or territory or country, that the said attestation is in due form, and by the proper officer. If the said certificate is given by the presiding justice of a court, it shall be further authenticated by the clerk or prothonotary of the said court, who shall certify, under his hand and the seal of his office, that the said presiding justice is duly commissioned and qualified; or, if given by such Governor, secretary, chancellor, or keeper of the great seal, it shall be under the great seal of the state, territory, or country, aforesaid, in which it is made: Provided, however, That printed copies of schedules and classifications and tariffs of rates, fares and charges, and supplements thereto, filed with the interstate commerce commission, which show respectively an interstate commerce commission number, which may be stated in abbreviated form, as I.C.C. No............., and an effective date, may be received in evidence without certification, and shall be presumed to be correct copies of the original schedules, classifications, tariffs and supplements on file with the interstate commerce commission. And the said records and exemplifications, so authenticated, shall have such faith and credit given to them in every court and office within this state as they have by law or usage in the courts or offices of the state, territory, or country, as aforesaid, from which they are taken.
WV Code § 57-1-14 (2021)
2021 West Virginia Code|Chapter 57. Evidence and Witnesses|Article 1. Legislative Acts and Resolutions; Public Records|§57-1-14. Authentication of Foreign Deeds, Powers of Attorney, Policies of Insurance, etc.

Every deed or power of attorney executed out of this state, the acknowledgment or proof of which is certified so that it might be admitted to record under article one, chapter thirty- nine of this code, and every policy of insurance, charter party, copy from a record in any foreign court or from a register of births and marriages in any place out of the United States, if it be attested by a notary public, under his seal of office, that such policy, charter party, record or register was made, entered or kept in due form according to the law of the place in which it was made, entered or kept, and that such copy is true, and the official character of such notary be certified to by any court of record, or the mayor or other chief magistrate of any county, city, town or borough, or under the great seal of the state, kingdom, province, an island or colony in which such notary may reside, shall be evidence in any court in this state.
WV Code § 57-2-1 (2021)
2021 West Virginia Code|Chapter 57. Evidence and Witnesses|Article 2. Writings and Statements of Private Persons|§57-2-1. Handwriting Analysis

In any civil or criminal action or proceeding, any writing proved to the satisfaction of the judge of a court of record in an in-camera hearing to be in the handwriting of the person who is alleged to have written it, whether or not made in the ordinary course of business, may, if the court further finds that its probative value outweighs its prejudicial effect, be admitted into evidence for the purpose of making a comparison with a disputed writing on the issue of whether or not the disputed writing is genuine. The authenticity of each writing shall be finally determined by the trier of fact.
WV Code § 57-2-2 (2021)
2021 West Virginia Code|Chapter 57. Evidence and Witnesses|Article 2. Writings and Statements of Private Persons|§57-2-2. When Attesting Witness Need Not Be Called

It shall not be necessary to prove by the attesting witness any instrument to the validity of which attestation is not requisite; and such instrument may be proved by admission, or otherwise, as if there had been no attesting witness thereto.
WV Code § 57-2-3 (2021)
2021 West Virginia Code|Chapter 57. Evidence and Witnesses|Article 2. Writings and Statements of Private Persons|§57-2-3. Statement by Accused Upon Legal Examination

In a criminal prosecution other than for perjury or false swearing, evidence shall not be given against the accused of any statement made by him as a witness upon a legal examination.
WV Code § 57-2-4 (2021)
2021 West Virginia Code|Chapter 57. Evidence and Witnesses|Article 2. Writings and Statements of Private Persons|§57-2-4. Justification and Mitigation of Damages in Action for Defamation

In any action for defamation, the defendant may justify by alleging and proving that the words spoken or written were true, and after notice in writing of his intention to do so (given to the plaintiff at the time of, or for, pleading to such action) may give in evidence in mitigation of damages that he made or offered an apology to the plaintiff for such defamation before the commencement of the action, or as soon afterwards as he had an opportunity of doing so, in case action shall have been commenced before there was an opportunity of making or offering such apology.
WV Code § 57-3-1 (2021)
2021 West Virginia Code|Chapter 57. Evidence and Witnesses|Article 3. Competency of Witnesses|§57-3-1. Party or Interested Person Competent as Witness; Exception as to Transaction or Communication With Deceased or Insane Person; Right of Person Sued to Give Evidence in Action for Death by Wrongful Act

No person offered as a witness in any civil action, suit or proceeding shall be excluded by reason of his interest in the event of the action, suit or proceeding, or because he is a party thereto, except as follows: No party to any action, suit or proceeding, nor any person interested in the event thereof, nor any person from, through or under whom any such party or interested person derives any interest or title by assignment or otherwise, shall be examined as a witness in regard to any personal transaction or communication between such witness and a person at the time of such examination, deceased, insane or lunatic, against the executor, administrator, heir at law, next of kin, assignee, legatee, devisee or survivor of such person, or the assignee or committee of such insane person or lunatic. But this prohibition shall not extend to any transaction or communication as to which any such executor, administrator, heir at law, next of kin, assignee, legatee, devisee, survivor or committee shall be examined on his own behalf, nor as to which the testimony of such deceased person or lunatic shall be given in evidence: Provided, however, That where an action is brought for causing the death of any person by any wrongful act, neglect or default under article seven, chapter fifty-five of this code, the person sued, or the servant, agent or employee of any firm or corporation sued, shall have the right to give evidence in any case in which he or it is sued, but he may not give evidence of any conversation with the deceased.
WV Code § 57-3-2 (2021)
2021 West Virginia Code|Chapter 57. Evidence and Witnesses|Article 3. Competency of Witnesses|§57-3-2. Competency of Husband and Wife to Testify

Husband and wife shall be competent witnesses to testify for or against each other in all cases, civil and criminal, except as otherwise provided.
WV Code § 57-3-3 (2021)
2021 West Virginia Code|Chapter 57. Evidence and Witnesses|Article 3. Competency of Witnesses|§57-3-3. Testimony of Husband and Wife in Criminal Cases

In criminal cases husband and wife shall be allowed, and, subject to the rules of evidence governing other witnesses, may be compelled to testify in behalf of each other, but neither shall be compelled, nor, without the consent of the other, allowed to be called as a witness against the other except in the case of a prosecution for an offense committed by one against the other, or against the child, father, mother, sister or brother of either of them. The failure of either husband or wife to testify, however, shall create no presumption against the accused, nor be the subject of any comment before the court or jury by anyone.
WV Code § 57-3-4 (2021)
2021 West Virginia Code|Chapter 57. Evidence and Witnesses|Article 3. Competency of Witnesses|§57-3-4. Confidential Communications Between Husband and Wife

Neither husband nor wife shall, without the consent of the other, be examined in any case as to any confidential communication made by one to the other while married, nor shall either be permitted, without such consent, to reveal in testimony after the marriage relation ceases any such communication made while the marriage existed.
WV Code § 57-3-5 (2021)
2021 West Virginia Code|Chapter 57. Evidence and Witnesses|Article 3. Competency of Witnesses|§57-3-5. Competency of Convicts as Witnesses

Conviction of felony or perjury shall not render the convict incompetent to testify, but the fact of conviction may be shown in evidence to affect his credibility.
WV Code § 57-3-6 (2021)
2021 West Virginia Code|Chapter 57. Evidence and Witnesses|Article 3. Competency of Witnesses|§57-3-6. Competency of Accused as Witness

In any trial or examination in or before any court or officer for a felony or misdemeanor, the accused shall, with his consent (but not otherwise) be a competent witness on such trial or examination; and if he so voluntarily becomes a witness he shall, as to all matters relevant to the issue, be deemed to have waived his privilege of not giving evidence against himself and shall be subject to cross-examination as any other witness; but his failure to testify shall create no presumption against him nor be the subject of any comment before the court or jury by anyone.
WV Code § 57-3-7 (2021)
2021 West Virginia Code|Chapter 57. Evidence and Witnesses|Article 3. Competency of Witnesses|§57-3-7. No Person Incompetent as Witness by Reason of Race or Color

No person shall be incompetent as a witness on account of race or color.
WV Code § 57-3-8 (2021)
2021 West Virginia Code|Chapter 57. Evidence and Witnesses|Article 3. Competency of Witnesses|§57-3-8. Competency of Chiropractors as Witnesses

Practitioners of chiropractic shall be permitted to qualify as competent witnesses, insofar as chiropractic testimony or chiropractic facts may be concerned in any civil action in any court in this state.
WV Code § 57-3-9 (2021)
2021 West Virginia Code|Chapter 57. Evidence and Witnesses|Article 3. Competency of Witnesses|§57-3-9. Communications to Priests, Nuns, Clergy, Rabbis, Christian Science Practitioners or Other Religious Counselors Not Subject to Being Compelled as Testimony

No priest, nun, rabbi, duly accredited Christian Science practitioner or member of the clergy authorized to celebrate the rites of marriage in this state pursuant to the provisions of article two, chapter forty-eight of this code shall be compelled to testify in any criminal or grand jury proceedings or in any domestic relations action in any court of this state:(1) With respect to any confession or communication, made to such person, in his or her professional capacity in the course of discipline enjoined by the church or other religious body to which he or she belongs, without the consent of the person making such confession or communication; or(2) With respect to any communication made to such person, in his or her professional capacity, by either spouse, in connection with any effort to reconcile estranged spouses, without the consent of the spouse making the communication. This subsection is in addition to the protection and privilege afforded pursuant to section three hundred one, article one, chapter forty-eight of this code.
WV Code § 57-3-10 (2021)
2021 West Virginia Code|Chapter 57. Evidence and Witnesses|Article 3. Competency of Witnesses|§57-3-10. Reporters' Privilege

(a) "Reporter" means a person who regularly gathers, prepares, collects, photographs, records, writes, edits, reports, or publishes news or information that concerns matters of public interest for dissemination to the public for a substantial portion of the person's livelihood, or a supervisor, or employer of that person in that capacity: Provided, That a student reporter at an accredited educational institution who meets all of the requirements of this definition, except that his or her reporting may not provide a portion of his or her livelihood, meets the definition of reporter for purposes of this section.(b) No reporter may be compelled to:(1) Testify in any civil, criminal, administrative or grand jury proceeding in any court in this state concerning the confidential source of any published or unpublished information obtained by the reporter in the course of the above described activities without the consent of the confidential source, unless such testimony is necessary to prevent imminent death, serious bodily injury or unjust incarceration; or(2) Produce any information or testimony that would identify a confidential source, without the consent of the confidential source, unless such testimony or information is necessary to prevent imminent death, serious bodily injury or unjust incarceration.(c) Nothing in this section shall be read to limit any existing Constitutional protections afforded any person under the United States or West Virginia Constitutions.
WV Code § 57-4-1 (2021)
2021 West Virginia Code|Chapter 57. Evidence and Witnesses|Article 4. Depositions and Perpetuation of Testimony|§57-4-1. Taking and Certification of Depositions -- Generally

In any pending case the deposition of a witness, whether a party to the suit or not, may, without commission, be taken in or out of this state by a justice, or notary public, or by a commissioner in chancery, or before any officer authorized to take depositions in the county or state where they may be taken. However, a deposition may not be taken by any person who is a relative or employee or attorney of any of the parties, or is a relative or employee of the attorney, or a relative or employee or attorney of one who has a financial interest in the outcome of the case, or who is otherwise financially interested in the action. Any deposition taken by an interested party, as described above, shall be considered void. For purposes of this article, an employee includes a person who has a contractual relationship with a party litigant to provide reporting or other court services and also includes a person employed part or full time under contract or otherwise by a person who has a contractual relationship with a party litigant to provide reporting or other court services. A party litigant does not include federal, state or local governments and the subdivisions thereof. Depositions may be taken in shorthand, or stenographic characters or notes, and shall be written out in full and transcribed into the English language by the stenographer taking the same, and certified by the officer before whom the depositions are taken; and if certified by such officer under his hand and if further certified by him that such stenographic characters and notes were correctly taken and accurately transcribed by him or under his direction and supervision, and that the witnesses were duly sworn, such depositions may be received and read in evidence without proof of the signature to such certificate and without the signature of the witness to such depositions. And in case the stenographer taking such depositions is not the officer before whom the same are being taken, then such stenographer, before proceeding to take any of said depositions, shall be sworn to take correctly and accurately transcribe the same, and the certificate of the officer before whom the depositions are taken shall state that the stenographer was so sworn.
WV Code § 57-4-2 (2021)
2021 West Virginia Code|Chapter 57. Evidence and Witnesses|Article 4. Depositions and Perpetuation of Testimony|§57-4-2. Taking and Certification of Depositions -- Out-of State and in Foreign Countries

On affidavit that a witness resides out of this state, or is out of it in the service thereof, or of the United States, or is out of this state and for justifiable reasons will probably be out of this state until after the trial of the case in which his or her testimony is needed, his or her deposition may be taken by or before any justice, notary public or other officer authorized to take depositions in the state wherein the witness may be, or, if the deposition is to be taken in a foreign country, by or before such commissioner or commissioners as may be agreed upon by the parties or appointed by the court, or, if there be none such, by or before any American minister, plenipotentiary, charge d'affaires, consul general, consul, vice consul, consular agent, vice deputy consular agent, commercial agent or vice commercial agent, appointed by the government of the United States, or by or before the mayor or other chief magistrate of any city, town or corporation in the country or any notary public therein. Any person or persons taking the deposition may administer an oath to the witness and take and certify the deposition with his or her official seal annexed, and if he or she have none, the genuineness of his or her signature shall be authenticated by some officer of the same state or country, under his or her official seal.
WV Code § 57-4-3 (2021)
2021 West Virginia Code|Chapter 57. Evidence and Witnesses|Article 4. Depositions and Perpetuation of Testimony|§57-4-3. Notice of Taking of Depositions; When Deposition May Be Read in Equity

Reasonable notice shall be given to the adverse party of the time and place of taking every deposition. And in a suit in equity a deposition may be read if returned before the hearing of the cause, although after an interlocutory decree, if it be as to a matter not thereby adjudged, and be returned before a final decree.
WV Code § 57-4-4 (2021)
2021 West Virginia Code|Chapter 57. Evidence and Witnesses|Article 4. Depositions and Perpetuation of Testimony|§57-4-4. Circumstances Under Which Deposition May Be Read in Case at Law; Attendance of Deponent Out of County May Be Required

A deposition in a case at law, taken on such notice under the three preceding sections, may be read in such case, if when it is offered, the deponent be dead, or out of this state, or one of its judges, or in any public office or service the duties of which prevent his attending the court, or be unable to attend it from sickness or other infirmity, or be out of the county in which the case is pending, or, because of lapse of time or mental infirmity, be unable to remember any material part of what he had deposed to. But when the only ground of reading a deposition is that the deponent is out of the county, on motion to the court, before the commencement of the trial, the court may, for good cause shown, require such deponent to attend in person.
WV Code § 57-4-5 (2021)
2021 West Virginia Code|Chapter 57. Evidence and Witnesses|Article 4. Depositions and Perpetuation of Testimony|§57-4-5. When Deposition May Be Read by Adverse Party

When a deposition has been filed, if not read on the trial by the party taking it, it may be read by the other party.
WV Code § 57-4-6 (2021)
2021 West Virginia Code|Chapter 57. Evidence and Witnesses|Article 4. Depositions and Perpetuation of Testimony|§57-4-6. Taking Deposition After Judgment, Decree or Order; Reading Thereof in Future Trial

In any case wherein there has been a judgment, decree or order from or to which an appeal, writ of error or supersedeas has been or might be allowed, a deposition may be taken for any party to such case, or for or against his or her husband or wife, personal representatives, heirs or devisees in like manner and by such persons as it is before prescribed for pending cases; and it may be read in any future trial that may be directed, if the same could properly be read, had there been no such judgment, decree or order.