Guide
Overview
Bankruptcy is federal. Each of the 94 federal judicial districts handles bankruptcy matters, almost all cases are filed in one of the 90 United States bankruptcy courts, and every docket is public through PACER, the federal courts' electronic records system. The file shows the petition, the schedules of assets and debts, the creditors, the trustee, the meeting of creditors, any objections and the discharge order, and it stays public permanently. A search by name through the PACER Case Locator covers every district at once and is the only official nationwide bankruptcy search.
Chapter 7 is liquidation, where a trustee sells non exempt assets and most unsecured debt is discharged within a few months. Chapter 13 is a three to five year repayment plan for people with income. Chapter 11 is reorganization, used by businesses and by individuals with large debts. The chapter appears in the case number and the docket, along with the date filed and the date discharged or dismissed.
Official sources on this page were checked on September 25, 2026.
Guide
Searching PACER and what it costs
The PACER Case Locator searches by name, Social Security number last four digits or case number across all districts, and each result links to the docket in that court's own PACER system. An account is free, searches and document views cost 10 cents a page with a 3 dollar cap per document, and the fee is waived for any quarter under 30 dollars, which covers most personal searches. The Voice Case Information System, a free automated phone line run by the bankruptcy courts, confirms a case by name or Social Security number without an account, and each bankruptcy court's website lists its own docket search and the trustees assigned to it.
- PACER Case LocatorNationwide search of bankruptcy, district and appellate cases by name, checked September 25, 2026
- PACERThe federal courts' record system and how to register, checked September 25, 2026
- Bankruptcy court locatorFind the bankruptcy court and its website for any county, checked September 25, 2026
- Bankruptcy Search by StateThe bankruptcy courts, districts and trustees for each state
Guide
What the file shows and how long it follows a person
The schedules list every asset, every debt and every creditor with amounts, and the statement of financial affairs lists income, transfers and lawsuits, so a bankruptcy file is the most detailed financial record a person ever makes public. The discharge order is the document lenders and employers ask for. Credit bureaus report a Chapter 7 for ten years from filing and a Chapter 13 for seven years, after which it drops from the credit report while the court record remains. Employers may not fire someone for a bankruptcy, and a person who received a Chapter 7 discharge cannot get another one in a case filed within eight years of the first.
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau on bankruptcy and credit reportsHow long a bankruptcy stays on a credit report, checked September 25, 2026
- Office of the United States TrusteeThe Justice Department program that supervises trustees and publishes the approved credit counseling agencies, checked September 25, 2026
- Judgments and Liens SearchCourt judgments and liens that appear alongside a bankruptcy
- Credit Report CheckHow to pull a free credit report and dispute errors
Guide
Federal Bankruptcy Courts
Guide
Free Alternatives
Straight answers
Bankruptcy Records Search, questions
How do I find out if someone filed bankruptcy?
Search the PACER Case Locator by name. It covers every bankruptcy court in the country and links to the docket. The courts' free Voice Case Information phone line confirms a case without an account.
How long does a bankruptcy stay on record?
The court record is permanent and stays public through PACER. Credit bureaus report a Chapter 7 for ten years from filing and a Chapter 13 for seven years.
Is there a free bankruptcy search?
PACER charges 10 cents a page but waives the fee for any quarter under 30 dollars, which covers most personal searches. The courts' Voice Case Information System is free by phone, and published bankruptcy opinions are free on GovInfo.