Guide
District of Columbia Bankruptcy Search at a Glance
Every District of Columbia bankruptcy case is filed in one federal court, the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Columbia. The court links below open its own site, and PACER, in the federal list further down, searches its docket.
Guide
District of Columbia Bankruptcy Court Resources
- U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of ColumbiaHearing calendars, case status by phone and unclaimed funds
- Hearing transcripts, District of ColumbiaOfficial transcripts are ordered from eScribers through its order form
- Filing requirements for debtors, District of ColumbiaWhat an individual debtor must file, for those without a lawyer
Guide
District of Columbia bankruptcy files: districts and access
The District of Columbia is its own federal bankruptcy district. The United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Columbia sits at 333 Constitution Avenue NW, Room 1225, Washington, DC 20001, with its site at dcb.uscourts.gov. A District resident's petition is on that docket, while a Maryland or Virginia suburb filing is in the District of Maryland or the Eastern District of Virginia, which is why a name search should begin at the PACER Case Locator. The file is public under 11 U.S.C. 107 at $0.10 per page on PACER, $3 at most per document, free in a quarter at $30 or less, and free to view at the courthouse. Schedule A/B lists each deposit account by institution and Schedule I the employer; the District of Columbia asset search page explains how they are read.
Guide
Federal & National Authoritative Sources
Straight answers
District of Columbia Bankruptcy Search, questions
Are bankruptcy records public?
Yes. All documents filed in a bankruptcy case are public records under 11 U.S.C. § 107, subject only to narrow sealing for trade secrets and certain personal identifiers.
Do states have their own bankruptcy courts?
No. Bankruptcy is exclusively federal under Article I of the U.S. Constitution and Title 11 of the U.S. Code. Each U.S. judicial district has a bankruptcy court.
How long does a bankruptcy stay on a credit report?
Chapter 7 discharges remain on a consumer credit report for 10 years from the filing date. Chapter 13 remains 7 years from filing. This is controlled by the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act (15 U.S.C. § 1681c).
Is there a fee to use PACER?
Registration is free. Per-page viewing is $0.10 per page, capped at $3.00 per document. Users who accrue less than $30 per quarter pay nothing.