All U.S. bankruptcy cases are filed in federal court and recorded through PACER. Bankruptcy is exclusively a federal process — there are no state bankruptcy courts.
What this page covers: Federal bankruptcy court case searches through PACER and bankruptcy statistics. What it does not cover: State court civil judgments, tax liens, or credit reports.
Where to start: To search for a specific bankruptcy case, use PACER. You can search by debtor name, case number, or attorney. PACER requires a free account and charges $0.10 per page (capped at $3 per document).
Common mistake: Bankruptcy filings are public records, but they are not the same as credit reports. A bankruptcy appears on a credit report for 7-10 years, but the court filing is available through PACER indefinitely.
What Each System Returns vs Excludes
| System | Returns | Excludes |
|---|---|---|
| PACER Case Locator | Party name, case number, court, chapter, filing/close dates | Full documents (requires individual court PACER) |
| District Court PACER | Full dockets, schedules, motions, orders, discharge info | Cases from other districts |
| Bankruptcy Statistics (uscourts.gov) | Filing trends, annual data by district and chapter | Individual case data |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is PACER free? ▼
Can I search all federal bankruptcy courts at once? ▼
What information is in a bankruptcy filing? ▼
How long do bankruptcy records stay available? ▼
Other Federal Databases
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