West Virginia § 38-8-13 - 38-8-13. Proceedings or transfers to avoid exemption prohibited.

§ 38-8-13. 38-8-13. Proceedings or transfers to avoid exemption prohibited.

It shall be unlawful for any person to institute, or permit to be instituted, proceedings in his own name, or in the name of any other person, or to assign or transfer, either for or without value, any claim for debt, or liability of any kind, held by him against a resident of this state, for the purpose of having payment of the same, or any part thereof, enforced out of the wages that may be exempted by virtue of the provisions of this article by proceedings in attachment or garnishment, in courts, or before justices of the peace, in any other state than in the State of West Virginia; or to send out of this state by assignment, transfer, or in any other manner whatsoever, either for or without value, any claim or debt against any resident thereof, for the purpose or with the intent of depriving such person of the right to have his wages exempt from distress, levy or garnishment, according to the provisions of this article. And the person instituting such suit, or permitting such suit to be instituted, or sending, or assigning, or transferring any such claim or debt for the purpose, or with the intent aforesaid, shall be liable in an action of debt to the person from whom payment of the same or any part thereof shall have been enforced by attachment or garnishment, or otherwise, elsewhere than in the State of West Virginia, for the full amount, payment whereof shall have been so enforced, together with interest thereon, and the cost of the attachment or garnishment proceedings, as well as the costs of such action to recover the same.

The fact that the payment of a claim or debt against any person entitled to the exemption provided for by this article has been enforced by legal proceedings in some state other than the State of West Virginia, in such manner as to deprive such persons to any extent of the benefit of such exemption, shall be prima facie evidence that any resident of this state who may at any time have been owner or holder of such claim or debt has violated this section.