West Virginia Code
Article 21. Drainage Districts
§19-21-5. Objections to Formation of Drainage District; Action of Court; Appeal; Filing of Decree in Office of Clerk of County Court [County Commission]

Any owner of real estate or other property in such proposed district who may not have signed the petition and who objects to the organization and formation of the proposed drainage district shall, on or before the first day of the term of court at which the cause is to be heard, file his objection or objections to the organization of such proposed drainage district. Such objection or objections shall be limited to a denial of the statements in the petition and shall be heard by the court in a summary manner without unnecessary delay, and in case all such objections are overruled, if the court shall be of the opinion that the establishment of a drainage district will be to the advantage of the owners of real property therein, or will be conducive to the public health, utility, convenience and public welfare, it shall, without making further inquiry, enter an order establishing a district, which district shall have the power and authority to acquire, hold and convey property, levy taxes and collect the same, and shall have all the powers and authority necessary to carry out the provisions of this article, and may sue and be sued under the name and style of .............. drainage district. Such order shall have all the force and effect of a judgment. If the court finds that the property set out in the petition should not be organized into a drainage district, it shall dismiss such proceedings and adjudge the costs against the signers of the petition in proportion to the acreage represented by each petitioner. Any owner of real property within the district may appeal from the judgment of the court within twenty days after the same has been made, but if no appeal is taken within that time such judgment shall be deemed conclusive and binding upon all the real property within the bounds of the district and upon the owners thereof, and any owner of property in the district may within a like time appeal from an order refusing to establish such district. Such appeals must be accompanied by a bond approved by the court conditioned for the payment of costs if the appeal should be decided against the appellant. If the court orders the drainage district established, a copy of the findings and decree of the court shall be filed in the office of the clerk of the county court in each of the counties having lands and other property in such drainage district where the same shall become a permanent record.

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