Guide
New York Bankruptcy Search at a Glance
New York's bankruptcy cases are split among four 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 four at once.
Guide
New York 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 New York.
- U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Northern District of New YorkCourt locations: Albany, Utica and Syracuse
- Court calendar, Northern District of New YorkHearing days by division and judge
- U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Southern District of New YorkCourt locations: Manhattan, Poughkeepsie and White Plains
- CM/ECF electronic filing, Southern District of New YorkThe court's login for e-filing and PACER docket reports
- U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Eastern District of New YorkCourt locations: Brooklyn and Central Islip
- Transcripts, Eastern District of New YorkHow to order transcripts and audio of hearings
- U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Western District of New YorkCourt locations: Buffalo and Rochester
- U.S. Trustee, Western District of New YorkThe U.S. Trustee offices in Buffalo and Rochester
- 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
New York bankruptcy files: districts and access
New York has four federal bankruptcy districts: the Northern District (nynb.uscourts.gov), the Southern District (nysb.uscourts.gov), the Eastern District (nyeb.uscourts.gov) and the Western District (nywb.uscourts.gov). A name search without a county starts at the PACER Case Locator, which covers all four. 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. In New York this is the whole story for sworn financial records: Domestic Relations Law 235 closes the matrimonial file for 100 years, while the bankruptcy schedules list each deposit account by institution and the employer by name. The New York asset search page explains how they are read.
Guide
Related New York pages
A bankruptcy search often leads on to state court cases, judgments and liens, and criminal or vital records. These are our related New York pages.
- New York Court RecordsState and county court case research and docket searches
- New York Criminal RecordsBackground checks, criminal history, and arrest records
- New York Vital RecordsBirth, death, marriage, and divorce certificates
- New York Inmate SearchState DOC and county jail inmate lookup
- New York DMV & Driving RecordsDriver license, vehicle history, and DMV services
- New York 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 New York, all 50 states and U.S. counties, and the federal FOIA guide.
Guide
Federal & National Authoritative Sources
Straight answers
New York 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.