W. Va. Code §§ 16B-18-1 to 16B-18-21 § 16B-18-15
Enforcement by Attorney General; pattern or practice cases; subpoena enforcement; remedies; intervention.
Operative Text
(a) Whenever the Attorney General has reasonable cause to believe that any person or group of persons is engaged in a pattern or practice of resistance to the full enjoyment of any of the rights granted by this article, or that any group of persons has been denied any of the rights granted by this article and such denial raises an issue of general public importance, the Attorney General may commence a civil action in any appropriate circuit court. (b) (1) The Attorney General may commence a civil action in any appropriate circuit court for appropriate relief with respect to a discriminatory housing practice referred to the Attorney General by the commission under subsection (f), §16B-18-11 of this code. A civil action under this paragraph may be commenced not later than the expiration of 18 months after the date of the occurrence or the termination of the alleged discriminatory housing practice. (2) The Attorney General may commence a civil action in any appropriate circuit court for appropriate relief with respect to breach of a conciliation agreement referred to the Attorney General by the commission under subsection (c), §16B-18-12 of this code. A civil action may be commenced under this paragraph not later than the expiration of 90 days after the referral of the alleged breach under subsection (c), section eleven of this article. (c) The Attorney General, on behalf of the commission or other party at whose request a subpoena is issued under this article, may enforce such subpoena in appropriate proceedings in the circuit court for the circuit in which the person to whom the subpoena was addressed resides, was served or transacts business. (d) (1) In a civil action under subsection (a) or (b) of this section, the court: (A) May award such preventive relief, including a permanent or temporary injunction or other order against the person responsible for a violation of this article as is necessary to assure the full enjoyment of the rights granted by this article; (B) May award such other relief as the court deems appropriate, including monetary damages to persons aggrieved; and (C) May, to vindicate the public interest, assess a civil penalty against the respondent: (i) In an amount not exceeding $50,000 for a first violation; and (ii) in an amount not exceeding $100,000 for any subsequent violation. (2) In a civil action under this section, the court, in its discretion, may allow a prevailing complainant a reasonable attorney's fee and costs. (e) Upon timely application, any person may intervene in a civil action commenced by the Attorney General under subsection (a) or (b) of this section which involves an alleged discriminatory housing practice with respect to which such person is an aggrieved person or a conciliation agreement to which such person is a party. The court may grant such appropriate relief to any such intervening party as is authorized to be granted to a complainant in a civil action under section fourteen of this article.
West Virginia Code § 16B-18-15 authorizes the state Attorney General to file civil lawsuits in circuit court when there is reasonable cause to believe that a person or group is engaged in a pattern or practice of housing discrimination, or when a denial of fair housing rights raises a matter of general public importance. The Attorney General may also sue over specific discriminatory housing practices referred by the state commission, or over breaches of conciliation agreements, subject to defined filing deadlines. Courts handling these cases can issue injunctions, award monetary damages to affected individuals, and impose civil penalties up to $50,000 for a first violation and up to $100,000 for subsequent violations, and may also award attorney's fees to prevailing complainants.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Property owners and managers should understand that § 16B-18-15 gives the West Virginia Attorney General independent authority to bring civil actions — separate from individual complaints — when conduct suggests a broader pattern of housing discrimination. Operators who maintain consistent, documented fair-housing compliance practices across all properties and transactions reduce the risk of being characterized as engaging in a "pattern or practice" of resistance to fair housing rights. Because courts can impose escalating civil penalties for repeat violations under this section, compliance programs that include regular staff training and record-keeping are characteristic of responsible housing operations.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Under § 16B-18-15, individuals who believe they have experienced housing discrimination are not limited to pursuing their own complaint — the Attorney General can act on behalf of the broader public when a pattern of violations or a matter of general public importance is involved. Aggrieved persons have the right to intervene in an Attorney General-initiated civil action under this section, potentially obtaining the same categories of relief available in a private fair housing lawsuit, including monetary damages and attorney's fees. Tenants and housing applicants who believe their fair housing rights have been violated may wish to contact the West Virginia Human Rights Commission or a tenant-rights organization to understand how this provision and related sections of Chapter 16B, Article 18 may apply to their circumstances.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated October 26, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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