Find Bankruptcy Records in Butler County
Bankruptcy cases from Butler County are handled by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Middle District of Alabama. The main office sits in Montgomery, about 45 miles from Greenville.
Butler County Quick Facts
Bankruptcy Court for Butler County
Butler County is part of the Northern Division in the Middle District of Alabama. Do not confuse this with the Northern District. That is a different court up in Birmingham. Butler County goes to Montgomery for all bankruptcy matters.
The courthouse address is One Church Street in downtown Montgomery. This is the only staffed location in the entire Middle District. Walk-in hours run 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Phone support goes until 5:00 PM. From Greenville, take I-65 north. The drive is about 45 minutes.
| Court Name | U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Middle District of Alabama |
|---|---|
| Address | One Church Street Montgomery, AL 36104 |
| Phone | (334) 954-3800 |
| Hours | Walk-in: 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM Phone: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM Monday through Friday |
| Website | almb.uscourts.gov |
Searching Butler County Bankruptcy Records
The PACER system is how you search federal court records online. It covers all bankruptcy courts including the Middle District of Alabama. You need an account to use it. Signing up is free and takes just a few minutes.
PACER charges 10 cents per page when you search. The cap is $3.00 for any single document. If your charges for the quarter stay under $30, they waive the fee entirely. That means most casual users search for free.
Here is how to search:
- Visit pacer.uscourts.gov
- Set up a free account
- Pick Middle District of Alabama
- Type in a name, case number, or SSN (last 4 digits)
- Browse results and open case files
Phone searches work too. Call 1-866-222-8029 any time. This McVCIS system runs 24 hours a day. Enter names or case numbers on your keypad. The system reads back basic case info. There is no charge for this service.
Check the RECAP Archive before using PACER. This free site at courtlistener.com/recap stores copies of documents other people have pulled. The file you want may already be there for free.
Bankruptcy Fees
Court filing fees are set by federal law. They apply the same in Butler County as everywhere else. Chapter 7 costs $338 to file. Chapter 13 costs $313. Chapter 11 for businesses runs $1,738.
Getting copies of existing records has separate fees. PACER charges 10 cents per page up to $3.00 per document. If you want official certified copies, those cost $12.00 each. Asking the clerk to do a name search for you runs $32.00.
- File Chapter 7: $338
- File Chapter 13: $313
- File Chapter 11: $1,738
- PACER page: $0.10 (max $3.00 per doc)
- Certified copy: $12.00
- Clerk search: $32.00 per name
Some people can pay fees over time. Others may get fees waived if income is very low. Ask about forms for this at the clerk window or check the court website.
Types of Bankruptcy
Most Butler County residents file Chapter 7 or Chapter 13. These two types cover nearly all personal cases. They work in different ways.
Chapter 7 is fast. It wipes out most debts in about four months. You may lose some property, but Alabama lets you exempt quite a bit. Most people keep their house and car. This chapter fits best if you have lots of credit card debt or medical bills and limited income.
Chapter 13 is slower but lets you keep more. You make payments for three to five years. At the end, remaining debts go away. This works well if you have steady income and want to save a house from foreclosure. You can catch up on late mortgage payments through the plan.
Chapter 11 is mainly for businesses. It lets a company reorganize while staying open. The business proposes a payment plan to creditors. Some individuals with very high debt use Chapter 11, but this is rare.
Farmers can use Chapter 12. This is like Chapter 13 but designed for farming operations. Butler County has some agricultural land, so this may apply to some residents here.
What Bankruptcy Records Include
A bankruptcy file contains many documents. The petition starts things. It lists basic info about the debtor. Schedules come next and break down all assets, debts, income, and expenses in detail.
The Statement of Financial Affairs covers recent history. Did the debtor sell any property recently? Are there lawsuits pending? What about past bankruptcy filings? All this goes in the statement.
More documents pile up as the case moves along. Creditors file proofs of claim. The trustee writes reports. The judge issues orders. A discharge order at the end shows which debts got wiped out.
Federal law at 11 U.S.C. Section 107 makes most records public. But sensitive data gets redacted. Social Security numbers show only four digits. Same with bank accounts. Birth dates show just the year. Children get listed by initials only.
Bankruptcy Administrator
Alabama does bankruptcy oversight its own way. Most states use U.S. Trustees from the Justice Department. Alabama and North Carolina have Bankruptcy Administrators instead. These work for the courts directly.
The administrator runs the 341 meeting of creditors. Every case has one. Debtors must appear and answer questions under oath. Creditors can show up too, but most skip it. The meeting usually wraps up in about five minutes.
Reach the Middle District Bankruptcy Administrator at (334) 954-3850. Their site at almba.uscourts.gov has trustee information and meeting schedules.
Finding Legal Help
Most people hire a lawyer for bankruptcy. The rules are strict and mistakes can hurt you. Legal Services Alabama helps low-income folks. Call (334) 832-4570 for the Montgomery office that serves Butler County.
The Alabama State Bar runs a referral line at (800) 392-5660. They connect you with bankruptcy attorneys. Many offer free first meetings. Use those to compare prices and approaches.
Attorney fees for Chapter 7 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. Shop around to find someone in your budget.
Cities in Butler County
Butler County includes Greenville, Georgiana, and McKenzie. Greenville is the county seat and largest city. All bankruptcy filings go through Montgomery regardless of which city you live in.
Nearby Counties
These counties border Butler. Crenshaw, Lowndes, and Covington also fall in the Middle District. Some neighboring counties are in the Southern District instead.