(a) Notwithstanding the provisions of § 14-2-2 of this code, any civil action in which the governing board of any state institution of higher education, any state institution of higher education, or any department or office of any of those entities, or any officer, employee, agent, intern or resident of any of those entities, acting within the scope of his or her employment, is made a party defendant, shall be brought in the circuit court of any county wherein the cause of action arose, unless otherwise agreed by the parties.

Terms Used In West Virginia Code 14-2-2a

  • Defendant: In a civil suit, the person complained against; in a criminal case, the person accused of the crime.
  • Real property: Land, and all immovable fixtures erected on, growing on, or affixed to the land.
  • real property: include lands, tenements and hereditaments, all rights thereto and interests therein, except chattel interests. See West Virginia Code 2-2-10
  • State: when applied to a part of the United States and not restricted by the context, includes the District of Columbia and the several territories, and the words "United States" also include the said district and territories. See West Virginia Code 2-2-10
  • Venue: The geographical location in which a case is tried.

(b) The exclusive venue provisions of this section are not applicable to:

(1) An action involving an entity or person named in subsection (a) of this section as garnishee or suggestee; and

(2) A proceeding for injunctive or mandamus relief involving the taking, title, or collection for or prevention of damage to real property, and where general laws or court rules provide that proper venue is in the county in which the real property affected is situate.

(c) This section applies only to proceedings not prohibited by the constitutional immunity of the state from suit under section thirty-five, article VI of the Constitution of the State.