2019 West Virginia Code
Chapter 36. Estates and Property
Article 2. Disposition of Estates Subject to Future Interests
§36-2-12a. Summary Proceedings for Sale or Lease; Petition

In addition to the proceedings authorized by the first section of this article, any person having any interest mentioned in section two of this article in the personal property, land, timber, oil, gas, coal or other minerals sought to be sold, leased or otherwise conveyed, may apply by petition, in a summary way, to the circuit court, or to any court of concurrent jurisdiction with the circuit court, of the county in which the estate proposed to be sold, leased or otherwise conveyed, or some part thereof, may be. Such petitions shall describe the property sought to be sold, leased or otherwise conveyed with reasonable certainty and shall set forth the names of all persons interested in such property, together with their respective interests or estates, either vested, contingent or executory, so far as is known by the plaintiff. Such petition shall also set forth the facts which, in the opinion of the plaintiff, would justify the sale, lease or other conveyance of such property. The petition shall be verified by the oath of the plaintiff or one of the plaintiffs, and all persons interested shall be made defendants, and ten days' notice shall be given to such defendants before such petition can be heard: Provided, That in the case of nonresident defendants, or unknown or unascertainable parties, or both, an order of publication may be entered, on proper affidavit as in any other chancery proceeding, requiring publication of such notice with respect to any nonresident defendants, or any unknown or unascertainable parties, or both, who may have or claim any interest or estate in such property, as a Class III legal advertisement in compliance with the provisions of article three, chapter fifty-nine of this code, and the publication area for such publication shall be the county in which the property or the greater part of the property concerned is situate. Such published notice, with the certificate of publication, when filed with the record in said proceedings, shall be and constitute valid and sufficient notice herein. All other provisions of this article not inconsistent herewith shall apply to and implement the procedures provided in this section.