If you are wondering how to find bankruptcy filings, you are not alone. Millions of people each year investigate bankruptcies in the capacity of a potential lender, employer, or even as a curious friend. Bankruptcy will remain in the court files for up to 20 years and as it is a matter of public record, anyone can access someone’s bankruptcy information.
It is important to note that your bankruptcy file includes a lot of information, such as your social security number, date of birth, employment history, bank account information, etc. In addition to naming your spouse and children, your file will include their personal details, such as social security numbers. Your contact details will be made public as well, with your current and former residential addresses listed. Records of any property in your name and vehicles with their VIN numbers are also part of the information packet.
Considering all this information is quite personal, you may be surprised to learn how easy it is to find bankruptcy filings. By using the internet you can locate an individual or a business fairly quickly, but the United States Federal Bankruptcy Court makes finding someone’s bankruptcy filing child’s play. There are a variety of different websites that list this information, some charging you to access it and others charging only if you request a digital or paper copy of the court documents.
• Public Access to Court Electronic Records (PACER) – Registration to this site is free and once you have become a registered user, you will be given access to the largest online database of bankruptcy information in the U.S. There is a small, per-page fee of the over 500 million court records and documents that are digitally stored on this site.
• KnowX Bankruptcy Search – By paying a flat fee you will be allowed to search the entire database for a specific name or bankruptcy case number. This is not only for individuals, but for business as well; therefore, anyone who has filed for bankruptcy under Chapter 7, 11, 12, or 13 will be listed.
• U.S. Bankruptcy Court Federal Record Retrieval Service – A copy of a complete bankruptcy file will cost about $40 using this site, but the turnaround time for processing requests and e-mailing or faxing the information is very quick, promising to be done within 2 hours the same business day from the time the request is placed.
For those who do not have access to a computer, the internet is not the only way to find bankruptcy filings. Try calling or walking into your local bankruptcy court. The clerk there is able to search the records not only for that state, but for the whole country, and can find information on a specific name or case number. They will also be able to provide you copies of any documents you request, for a nominal fee. If they are busy, you may find yourself waiting quite a while for the information you require. A faster way to find bankruptcy filings is by calling the automated Bankruptcy Voice Case Information System (VCIS) that accesses the most up-to-date information in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court’s central computer. As with the other systems, you can search by name or case number for personal bankruptcies or those of businesses and corporations.
If you are wondering how to find bankruptcy filings, you first need to have the case number or the full name of the person you are enquiring about. Once you have that information, actually finding the record of their bankruptcy petition will be quick and easy.
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