Guide
Florida Bankruptcy Search at a Glance
Florida's bankruptcy cases are split among three federal courts by where the debtor lives. The court links below open each court's own site, and PACER, in the federal list further down, searches all three at once.
Guide
Florida Bankruptcy Court Resources
Use the resources below to identify the correct federal bankruptcy court, check electronic filing or docket access, and locate related bankruptcy guidance for Florida.
- U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Northern District of FloridaHearing calendars, unclaimed funds and local rules
- U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Middle District of FloridaHearing calendars, unclaimed funds and local rules
- Frequently asked questions, Middle District of FloridaPlain answers on the bankruptcy process for debtors and creditors
- Judges online calendar, Middle District of FloridaSearch hearing calendars by judge or date
- U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Southern District of FloridaCourt locations: Miami, Ft. Lauderdale and West Palm Beach
- Filing without an attorney, Southern District of FloridaThe court's help page for people filing without a lawyer
- U.S. Courts, Bankruptcy BasicsOfficial overview of bankruptcy chapters, eligibility, and court process
Under Federal Rule of Bankruptcy Procedure 9037, filed papers may show only the last four digits of a Social Security number, the year of birth and a minor's initials. To tell apart two debtors with the same name, compare the home address and those four digits on the petition, Official Form 101.
Guide
Florida bankruptcy files: districts and access
Florida has three federal bankruptcy districts: the Northern District (flnb.uscourts.gov), with clerk's offices in Tallahassee and Pensacola, a court proceedings only location in Gainesville and a Panama City courthouse closed indefinitely since hurricane damage in 2018, the Middle District (flmb.uscourts.gov) and the Southern District (flsb.uscourts.gov). A name search without a county starts at the PACER Case Locator, which covers all three. Dockets and documents are 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 deposit accounts by institution and Schedule I the employer by name; the Florida asset search page sets those schedules next to the Family Law Financial Affidavit in an open Florida divorce file.
Guide
Related Florida pages
A bankruptcy search often leads on to state court cases, judgments and liens, and criminal or vital records. These are our related Florida pages.
- Florida Court RecordsState and county court case research and docket searches
- Florida Criminal RecordsBackground checks, criminal history, and arrest records
- Florida Vital RecordsBirth, death, marriage, and divorce certificates
- Florida Inmate SearchState DOC and county jail inmate lookup
- Florida DMV & Driving RecordsDriver license, vehicle history, and DMV services
- Florida Judgments & LiensCourt judgments, liens and UCC filings, and how to search them
By state
Bankruptcy search in other states
Each state's page names its federal bankruptcy districts and links each court's own site.
Guide
Public records directories
Our directories for Florida, all 50 states and U.S. counties, and the federal FOIA guide.
Guide
Federal & National Authoritative Sources
Straight answers
Florida 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.