West Virginia Supreme Court Denies Expedited Review in Raleigh County Vaccine Exemption Appeal

The West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals has declined to expedite its review of a significant vaccine exemption lawsuit challenging the state's strict school vaccination requirements. The case involves parents from Raleigh County who received a preliminary injunction allowing their children to attend public school without the state-mandated vaccinations on religious grounds. The court set a timeline requiring the West Virginia Board of Education to perfect its appeal by December 12, 2025, with responses and replies due in early 2026, indicating the case will not be resolved until at least the beginning of 2026. The court also denied motions to stay the enforcement of current vaccination requirements during the appeal process, allowing lower court proceedings to continue. This legal battle stems from Governor Patrick Morrisey’s 2025 executive order implementing the 2023 Equal Protection for Religion Act, which permits religious exemptions to vaccine mandates, a policy change in a state previously among the few not allowing such exemptions. The case is part of a broader national debate on vaccination mandates, with other states like Florida moving to eliminate their childhood vaccine requirements.