Guide
Virginia Bankruptcy Search at a Glance
Virginia's bankruptcy cases are split among two 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 both at once.
Guide
Virginia 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 Virginia.
- U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Eastern District of VirginiaHearing calendars, case status by phone and unclaimed funds
- U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Western District of VirginiaCourt locations: Roanoke, Lynchburg and Harrisonburg
- 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
Virginia bankruptcy files: districts and access
Virginia has two federal bankruptcy districts: the Eastern District (vaeb.uscourts.gov) and the Western District (vawb.uscourts.gov). A name search without a county starts at the PACER Case Locator, which covers both. 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 Virginia asset search page sets those schedules next to the open circuit court divorce file.
Guide
Related Virginia pages
A bankruptcy search often leads on to state court cases, judgments and liens, and criminal or vital records. These are our related Virginia pages.
- Virginia Court RecordsState and county court case research and docket searches
- Virginia Criminal RecordsBackground checks, criminal history, and arrest records
- Virginia Vital RecordsBirth, death, marriage, and divorce certificates
- Virginia Inmate SearchState DOC and county jail inmate lookup
- Virginia DMV & Driving RecordsDriver license, vehicle history, and DMV services
- Virginia 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 Virginia, all 50 states and U.S. counties, and the federal FOIA guide.
Guide
Federal & National Authoritative Sources
Straight answers
Virginia 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.