Observatory / WV
West Virginia
Not independently named · Orientation only: not for citation as law · Last reviewed August 31, 2026
What “pattern” means here
No statute independently naming coercive control was located for this orientation. Domestic-violence, harassment, or stalking provisions may still reach some of the same conduct. That is not the same as a pattern test.
Statutes
No independently named statute located for this orientation.
Expert standard
Confirm the forum's reliability standard (Daubert, Frye, Sargon, or the local equivalent).
What Carlton Research can speak to
Carlton Research can speak to pattern analysis (coercive control breadth, depth, escalation, entrapment, and more). Research is built to the evidentiary rules of the jurisdiction that will hear it. Carlton Research does not recommend parenting time or custody. Research establishes whether a pattern of coercive control is present. Inquire about specific testimony requests or speaking engagements.
W. Va. Code § 48-27-202 includes psychological abuse in the DV definition. Related conduct may be reached; the term coercive control is not treated as named here.
Carlton, C. (2026). Coercive Control Observatory: West Virginia. Carlton Research Instruments. /observatory/us-wv. Last reviewed August 31, 2026.