Bankruptcy, Federal Court System

Tennessee Bankruptcy Search

Tennessee has three federal bankruptcy districts: Eastern, Middle and Western. Bankruptcy cases are filed only in federal court, never in a state court.

Guide

Tennessee Bankruptcy Search at a Glance

Tennessee'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

Tennessee 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 Tennessee.

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

Tennessee bankruptcy files: districts and access

Tennessee has three federal bankruptcy districts: the Eastern District (tneb.uscourts.gov), the Middle District (tnmb.uscourts.gov) and the Western District (tnwb.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 Tennessee asset search page sets those schedules next to the sworn financial statements in an open Tennessee divorce file.

Straight answers

Tennessee 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.