Before you start
This guide walks through the order of things for someone in Morgantown or elsewhere in Monongalia County who needs, or wants, an anger management class. It assumes nothing about your case. If you are working through it because a judge or officer told you to, keep one rule in mind the whole way: the court or your probation officer decides whether a program fits what was ordered. Nobody else can make that call for you.
Step 1: Find the exact words in your paperwork
Lay out every page you were given at your hearing or sentencing. Look for the caption that names the court. In this county it will most likely say circuit court or magistrate court, because the state judiciary lists both of them, plus their clerks, at the Monongalia County Justice Center, 75 High Street.
Underline anything about the class: a number of hours or weeks, a deadline, whether it must be in person, and who gets proof. Copy the case number onto a sticky note. You will repeat it often.
Step 2: Work out who supervises the requirement
If you were placed on probation, your officer works out of Suite 16 of the Justice Center, according to the judiciary's county page. The office has a chief and a deputy, and your officer is the person who tracks whether the class gets done.
If you were not placed on probation, the order may tell you to report completion to the clerk instead. Magistrates in West Virginia hear misdemeanor cases and set bail in criminal cases, so read any bond paperwork as carefully as a sentencing order. Ask the clerk's office which person or desk expects your proof if the order does not say.
Step 3: Call or email your officer before you sign up
A short message saves a lot of trouble. Give your name and case number, then ask three things: what format is acceptable (in person, group, online), what proof they want and how they want it delivered, and whether there is a deadline beyond the one on paper. Write down the answer and the date you got it. If the officer is hard to reach, leave a voicemail and follow up by email so there is a written record that you asked.
Step 4: Build a short list of providers
Use this directory to find independent providers who serve Monongalia County. Pick two or three to contact. For each one, note where they meet, what days and times their sessions run, and whether they offer an online option.
If you work odd hours, ask about evening or weekend sessions up front. Missing sessions because of a schedule clash is one of the easiest ways to fall behind.
Step 5: Ask the same questions of each provider
Keep it consistent so you can compare:
1. How many sessions, and how long is each? 2. Group or individual? How large are the groups? 3. What records do you keep, and will you send attendance or completion letters to my officer, or give them to me? 4. What is the policy on missed or rescheduled sessions? 5. What is the full cost, and is there any payment plan?
Then check the answers against what your officer told you in Step 3. If something does not match, ask the officer before you pay.
Step 6: Enroll and confirm in writing
Once you choose, get a written enrollment confirmation that shows the start date and the session count. Send a copy to your officer if they asked for one. Put every session on your calendar, including travel time to the meeting place.
Step 7: Keep your own record as you go
After each session, jot down the date and keep any sign-in receipt. If the provider issues mid-course progress notes, keep a copy. Store everything in one folder with your order.
Step 8: Deliver proof and confirm it arrived
When you finish, get the completion letter. Deliver it the way your officer or the clerk asked, and keep a copy. A week later, follow up to make sure it reached your file at the Justice Center. If the court has a review date, bring your own copy to that hearing.
If you are going voluntarily
You can skip Steps 2, 3 and 8. The rest still helps: compare a few providers, ask the same questions, and choose the format you are most likely to stick with.