Bankruptcy Records

From time to time, you may need to dig up bankruptcy records of a person or a business who may have filed bankruptcy. You may also want to know that if you file for bankruptcy, what bankruptcy records will there be of your bankruptcy case. In either case, the US Bankruptcy Court system makes it possible for the public to find out if someone or a company has filed for bankruptcy now or in the past.

Anyone can apply to the US bankruptcy court for the search of any bankruptcy records filed by a person or a company. For a small fee of $15, you can ask the US Bankruptcy Court clerk to search bankruptcy records for your specific request. Otherwise, most bankruptcy courts also have bankruptcy records available for public inspection through card files or microfiche. Some bankruptcy court houses are more high tech than others and have bankruptcy records on computer that can be searched easily. You can usually inspect these records free of charge.

Reasons why bankruptcy records can be searched

Through requesting a bankruptcy records search at the US bankruptcy court, you can find out

• Whether a particular person or a business filed a petition for bankruptcy
• Whether the bankruptcy petition was voluntary (i.e filed by the debtor) or involuntary (filed by the creditors)
• Whether a bankruptcy filing case is still pending or has been closed, and if the bankruptcy case was closed, the date of closing
• Whether the debtor was granted a discharge
• Whether the bankruptcy filer or the business in bankruptcy has a lawsuit filed, and if so, the status of the lawsuit, the disposition of the lawsuit, and the case number of the bankruptcy case in which the lawsuit arises.