Bullock County Bankruptcy Records

Bankruptcy records for Bullock County residents are maintained at the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Montgomery. The court serves all 23 counties in the Middle District of Alabama.

Middle District Bankruptcy Court

Bullock County falls in the Northern Division of the Middle District. All bankruptcy business goes through Montgomery. This is the only staffed courthouse for the whole district. From Union Springs, the trip runs about 45 minutes west on US-82.

The court sits at One Church Street in the Frank M. Johnson Jr. Federal Building. Doors open at 8:00 AM for walk-in visits. They close at 4:00 PM. Phone lines stay open until 5:00 PM. The building has parking nearby, but spots fill up fast.

How to Search Bankruptcy Records

PACER gives you online access to all bankruptcy records. This federal system covers every court in the country. Signing up takes just a few minutes and costs nothing. You only pay when you actually search.

The fees are small. PACER charges 10 cents per page. No document costs more than $3.00, no matter how many pages. And here is the best part: if your quarterly charges stay under $30, they waive everything. Most people doing basic searches never pay a dime.

To search Bullock County bankruptcies:

• Go to pacer.uscourts.gov
• Create your free account
• Select Middle District of Alabama
• Enter name, case number, or last 4 of SSN
• View results and click into cases

You can also search by phone. The McVCIS system at 1-866-222-8029 works around the clock. Punch in a name or number using your keypad. The system reads back case info. This is completely free and works any time of day.

Another free option is the RECAP Archive. This site stores copies of PACER documents that other people have downloaded. Check courtlistener.com/recap before paying for anything. The document you want might already be there.

Filing Fees and Copy Costs

Filing bankruptcy has fixed costs. These come from federal law and apply the same in every county. Chapter 7 costs $338. Chapter 13 costs $313. Chapter 11 is much higher at $1,738. These go to the court.

Copies cost extra. PACER charges the 10 cents per page we mentioned. Certified copies from the clerk run $12.00 each. If you want the clerk to search for you instead of using PACER, that costs $32.00 per name searched.

The court lets some people pay filing fees over time. Low-income filers may qualify for a full waiver. Ask the clerk about forms for this. You will need to show your income and expenses to qualify.

Types of Bankruptcy Cases

Bullock County residents mostly file Chapter 7 or Chapter 13. These two types handle almost all personal bankruptcy cases. Each works differently.

Chapter 7 is the quick option. It wipes out most debts in about four months. You may have to give up some property, but Alabama lets you protect a fair amount. Most people keep their home and car. This chapter works best if you have lots of credit card debt, medical bills, or other unsecured debt and not much income.

Chapter 13 takes longer. You make payments for three to five years. At the end, remaining debts get discharged. This works well if you have a steady job and want to save your home from foreclosure. You can catch up on mortgage payments through the plan. It also stops collections while you pay.

Business owners sometimes use Chapter 11. This lets a company reorganize and keep running. The business proposes a plan to pay creditors over time. It costs much more and takes much longer than personal bankruptcy.

What Bankruptcy Records Show

Each bankruptcy case creates a detailed paper trail. The petition kicks things off with basic info about the debtor. Schedules follow with full details on assets, debts, income, and monthly expenses.

The Statement of Financial Affairs digs into recent history. It asks about property transfers, lawsuits, and past addresses. Creditors use this to look for problems. The court checks it for signs of fraud.

As the case progresses, more papers get filed. Creditors submit proofs of claim. The trustee writes reports. The judge signs orders. When debts get wiped out, a discharge order closes things out. This is what most people are looking for.

Federal law makes most of this public. Under 11 U.S.C. Section 107, anyone can view bankruptcy records. But personal data gets protected. You only see the last four digits of Social Security numbers and bank accounts. Birth dates show just the year. Kids' names appear as initials.

The Bankruptcy Administrator

Alabama uses a different system than most states. Instead of a U.S. Trustee from the Justice Department, Alabama has Bankruptcy Administrators. Only Alabama and North Carolina do it this way. The administrator works for the court.

Every case has a 341 meeting. The Bankruptcy Administrator runs this. The debtor must show up and answer questions under oath. Creditors can come and ask questions too. Most creditors skip it. The meeting usually takes about five minutes.

The Middle District Bankruptcy Administrator office is at (334) 954-3850. They share the courthouse in Montgomery. Visit almba.uscourts.gov for trustee info and meeting times.

Getting Legal Help

Bankruptcy law is complex. Most people hire lawyers. Legal Services Alabama helps people with limited income. Their Montgomery office at (334) 832-4570 serves Bullock County. They may be able to help if you qualify.

The Alabama State Bar has a referral service. Call (800) 392-5660 for names of bankruptcy attorneys. Many offer free first meetings. Use these to compare fees and find someone you are comfortable with.

Chapter 7 legal fees usually run $1,000 to $2,000. Chapter 13 costs more, often $3,000 to $5,000. These are on top of court filing fees. Get quotes from several lawyers before you decide.

Cities in Bullock County

Bullock County includes Union Springs and Midway. Union Springs is the county seat and largest town. All residents file bankruptcy through Montgomery regardless of which town they live in.

Nearby Counties

These counties touch Bullock. All are in the Middle District for bankruptcy. Montgomery County to the west has the courthouse.