WV HB2351

Panel attorneys representing indigent persons in criminal, juvenile, and abuse/neglect cases will be compensated at $70 per hour for out-of-court work and $90 per hour for in-court work, with a maximum of $4,500 for most proceedings (unlimited for life imprisonment cases with court approval)

Paralegal services performed out-of-court for panel attorneys will be compensated at $20 per hour, and investigative services at $30 per hour

Expense reimbursement is capped at $2,500 for most cases, with travel expenses following state guidelines and transcript costs set at statutory rates

Beginning December 1, 2025, Public Defender Services must submit annual reports to the Legislative Oversight Commission on Health and Human Resources, Foster Care Ombudsman, and Supreme Court of Appeals summarizing guardian ad litem services in abuse and neglect cases

The annual reports must include data on multidisciplinary team meeting attendance, caseloads, case duration, client visits, and hours billed by guardians ad litem from appointment through permanency for the child