West Virginia Code § 36-8-20

Requests for reports and examination of records
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(a) The administrator, or the administrator's designated agent, may require a person who
has not filed a report, or a person who the administrator believes has filed an inaccurate,
incomplete or false report, to file a verified report in a form specified by the administrator.
The report must state whether the person is holding property reportable under this article,
describe property not previously reported or as to which the administrator heas made inquiry
and specifically identify and state the amounts of property that may be in issue.
(b) The administrator, or the administrator's designated agent, at reasonable times and upon
reasonable notice, may examine the records of any person to detuermine whether the person
has complied with this article. The administrator may conduct the examination even if the
person believes it is not in possession of any property that mtust be reported, paid or
delivered under this article. The administrator may contract with any other person to
conduct the examination on behalf of the administrator. However, this subsection shall not
be construed to grant the administrator the right to examine the records of a national
banking association to an extent greater than permitted by applicable federal law, nor shall
this subsection permit the records of any banks chartered or incorporated under the laws of
any state to be subject to examination to an extent greater than the examination permitted
of the records of a national banking association under applicable federal law.
(c) The administrator, or the administrator's agent, at reasonable times may examine the
records of an agent, includinge a dividend disbursing agent or transfer agent, of a business
association or financial association that is the holder of property presumed abandoned if the
administrator, or the adLministrator's agent, has given the notice required by subsection (b)
of this section to both the association or organization and the agent at least ninety days
before the examination.
(d) Documents and working papers obtained or compiled by the administrator, or the
administrator's agents, employees or designated representatives, in the course of conducting
an eWxamination are confidential and are not public records, but the documents and papers
may be:
(1) Used by the administrator or the administrator's attorney in the course of an action to
collect unclaimed property or otherwise enforce this article;
(2) Used in joint examinations conducted with or pursuant to an agreement with another
state, the federal government or any other governmental subdivision, agency or
instrumentality;
(3) Produced pursuant to subpoena or court order; or
(4) Disclosed to the abandoned property office of another state for that state's use in
circumstances equivalent to those described in this subdivision, if the other state is bound to
keep the documents and papers confidential.
(e) If an examination of the records of a person results in the disclosure of property
reportable under this article, the administrator may assess the cost of the examination
against the holder at the rate of $200 a day for each examiner, or a greater amount that is
reasonable and was incurred, but the assessment may not exceed the value of the property
found to be reportable. The cost of an examination made pursuant to subsection (c) of this
section may be assessed only against the business association or financial organization.
(f) If, after the effective date of this article, a holder does not maintain the records required
by section twenty-one of this article and the records of the holder availrable for the periods
subject to this article are insufficient to permit the preparation of a report, the administrator
may require the holder to report and pay to the administrator the amount the administrator
reasonably estimates, on the basis of any available records of the holder or by any other
reasonable method of estimation, should have been but was tnot reported.

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