West Virginia § 61-2-14d Concealment or removal of minor child from custodian or from person entitled to visitation; penalties; defenses

West Virginia Statutes

§ 61-2-14d — Concealment or removal of minor child from custodian or from person entitled to visitation; penalties; defenses

West Virginia § 61-2-14d

Ch. 61CRIMES AND THEIR PUNISHMENT

Art. 2CRIMES AGAINST THE PERSON

This text of West Virginia § 61-2-14d (Concealment or removal of minor child from custodian or from person entitled to visitation; penalties; defenses) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering West Virginia primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook

W. Va. Code § 61-2-14d (2026).

Text

(a)Any person who conceals, takes or removes a minor child in violation of any court order an with the intent to deprive another person of lawful custody or visitation right shall be guilty of a felony, and, upon conviction thereof, shall be imprisoned in the penitentiary not less than one nor more than five years, or in the discretion of the court, shall be imprisoned in the county jail not more than one year of fined not more than $1,000, or both fined and imprisoned.

(b)Any person who violates this section and in so doing removes the minor child from this state or conceals the minor child in another state shall be guilty of a felony, and, upon conviction thereof, shall be imprisoned in the penitentiary not less than one nor more than five years, or fined not more than $1,000, or both

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(a) Any person who conceals, takes or removes a minor child in violation of any court order an with the intent to deprive another person of lawful custody or visitation right shall be guilty of a felony, and, upon conviction thereof, shall be imprisoned in the penitentiary not less than one nor more than five years, or in the discretion of the court, shall be imprisoned in the county jail not more than one year of fined not more than $1,000, or both fined and imprisoned.

(b) Any person who violates this section and in so doing removes the minor child from this state or conceals the minor child in another state shall be guilty of a felony, and, upon conviction thereof, shall be imprisoned in the penitentiary not less than one nor more than five years, or fined not more than $1,000, or both fined and imprisoned.

(c) It shall be a defense under this section that the accused reasonably believed such action was necessary to preserve the welfare of the minor child. The mere failure to return a minor child at the expiration of any lawful custody or visitation period without the intent to deprive another person of lawful custody or visitation rights shall not constitute an offense under this section.