Calhoun County Bankruptcy Records

Calhoun County bankruptcy records are handled by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Alabama. The county seat, Anniston, has its own federal courthouse where bankruptcy cases are filed and heard.

U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Anniston

Calhoun County has a local bankruptcy court office right in Anniston. This is a big advantage. Residents do not have to travel to Birmingham. The Anniston office is at the Federal Building on Noble Street. It is part of the Eastern Division of the Northern District of Alabama.

Having a local office makes things easier. You can file papers in person. You can attend hearings close to home. The 341 meetings of creditors are held there too. The office is open Monday through Friday. Call ahead if you need to visit.

The Eastern Division serves several counties: Calhoun, Cherokee, Clay, Cleburne, DeKalb, Etowah, St. Clair, and Talladega. The Birmingham office handles administrative matters for all divisions. But day-to-day filings and hearings happen in Anniston for local residents.

How to Search Calhoun County Bankruptcy Records

PACER is the best way to search bankruptcy records online. It covers all federal courts. Register for free at pacer.uscourts.gov. You can then search by name, case number, or the last four digits of a Social Security number. PACER shows dockets, filed documents, and case status.

PACER charges $0.10 per page. Documents are capped at $3.00 each. If your quarterly charges stay under $30, they waive the fee. This makes small searches free. The system is easy to use once you learn it.

The PACER Case Locator at pcl.uscourts.gov searches all federal courts at once. It updates overnight. Use it if you are not sure which district someone filed in. It links directly to the local court records.

What you need to search:

• Name of the debtor
• Last four of Social Security number (optional)
• Case number if you have it
• Date range for filing

You can also get basic case info by phone. Call McVCIS at 1-866-222-8029. It works around the clock. You can check case status and meeting dates. It is free, but documents are not available this way.

Bankruptcy Filing Fees

Federal law sets the filing fees. They are the same in every court. Calhoun County residents pay:

• Chapter 7: $338
• Chapter 13: $313
• Chapter 11: $1,738
• Chapter 12: $278

You do not have to pay all at once. The court lets you pay in up to four installments over 120 days. For Chapter 7, a fee waiver is available if your income is below 150% of poverty level. You must apply with your petition.

Record search fees are separate. PACER is $0.10 per page. Certified copies cost $12.00. Clerk searches cost $32.00 per name. At the Anniston courthouse, you can view records free on public computers. Printing is $0.10 per page.

What Calhoun County Bankruptcy Records Contain

Bankruptcy records are comprehensive. The voluntary petition is the first document. It has the debtor's name, address, and partial Social Security number. Schedules A through J list assets, debts, income, and expenses in detail. Every creditor is listed with the amount owed.

The Statement of Financial Affairs covers the past several years. It asks about income history, property sales, lawsuits, and repossessions. Creditors file proofs of claim to state their debt amounts. Trustees file reports on assets found and distributions made. The court issues orders throughout the case.

A typical bankruptcy file includes:

• Voluntary petition
• Asset and liability schedules
• Statement of Financial Affairs
• Creditor matrix
• Proofs of claim
• Trustee reports
• Meeting of creditors notice
• Discharge order

Bankruptcy records are public under 11 U.S.C. Section 107. Anyone can view them. Privacy rules redact full Social Security numbers. Only the last four digits show. Account numbers are partially hidden too. Tax returns filed with the court stay sealed.

The Bankruptcy Administrator

Alabama has Bankruptcy Administrators, not U.S. Trustees. This is different from most states. Only Alabama and North Carolina use this system. The Bankruptcy Administrator is part of the court. They oversee cases, appoint trustees, and run the 341 meetings.

Every debtor must attend a 341 meeting. It happens about a month after filing. The trustee asks questions under oath. Questions cover assets, debts, and the schedules you filed. Creditors can attend but rarely do. For Calhoun County cases, these meetings happen at the Anniston courthouse.

The Bankruptcy Administrator for the Northern District is in Birmingham. Call (205) 714-4300 for info. Their website at www.alnba.uscourts.gov has trustee lists and meeting schedules.

Free Record Access Options

PACER is cheap but not free. The RECAP Archive offers a free alternative. It collects PACER documents that users have already paid for. Search at courtlistener.com/recap. Coverage varies. Not every document is there. But you might find what you need.

Visit the Anniston courthouse for free access. Public terminals let you view records at no cost. You only pay for printing. Staff can help you navigate the system. Bring a valid ID. Hours are 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM weekdays.

Old records may be at the National Archives. After about 15 years, closed files go to the Atlanta Federal Records Center. Retrieval costs $64 per box. Call (404) 736-2820 for details.

Legal Help in Calhoun County

Bankruptcy law is complex. Most people use a lawyer. If money is tight, help exists. Legal Services Alabama assists low-income residents with civil matters. Call (866) 456-4995 to ask about services. They may refer you to a bankruptcy attorney.

The Alabama State Bar has a lawyer referral service. They can connect you with local bankruptcy attorneys. Contact them at (800) 392-5660. Initial consultations are often low cost.

You can file without a lawyer. It is called pro se filing. Official forms are at uscourts.gov/forms/bankruptcy-forms. The Northern District website has local forms too. Filing pro se takes time and care. But it is an option if you cannot afford representation.

Types of Bankruptcy

Chapter 7 is liquidation. The trustee sells nonexempt assets. Then debts are discharged. The process takes about four months. You must pass a means test. If your income is too high, you cannot file Chapter 7.

Chapter 13 is a payment plan. You keep your property. You pay creditors over three to five years. It is good for catching up on mortgages or car loans. Remaining unsecured debts are discharged at the end. You need steady income to qualify.

Chapter 11 is mainly for businesses. It lets them reorganize debts. Individuals with very large debts sometimes use it. The fee is $1,738. Chapter 12 is for family farmers and fishermen. It has special rules for seasonal income.

Nearby Counties

These counties are near Calhoun County. Most are in the Eastern Division like Calhoun. They all use the same PACER system.