Access Coosa County Bankruptcy Records
Bankruptcy filings from Coosa County go through the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Middle District of Alabama in Montgomery. The court is about 55 miles from Rockford.
Coosa County Quick Facts
Middle District Bankruptcy Court
Coosa County falls in the Northern Division of the Middle District. All bankruptcy matters go to Montgomery. The drive from Rockford takes about an hour going southwest on US-231.
Montgomery houses the only staffed courthouse for the whole Middle District. The address is One Church Street. Walk-in hours run 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM on weekdays. Phone support goes until 5:00 PM.
| 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 |
How to Search Bankruptcy Records
PACER is the tool for searching federal court records online. It covers all bankruptcy courts. You need an account. Signing up is free. You pay only when you search.
The fees stay low. PACER charges 10 cents per page. Any document caps at $3.00. Keep your quarterly total under $30 and they waive the charges. Many people pay nothing.
Here is how to search:
- Visit pacer.uscourts.gov
- Create a free account
- Choose Middle District of Alabama
- Type in a name or case number
- Look through results
You can search by the last four digits of a Social Security number too. This helps when names are common. Results show case numbers, dates, and parties. Click into a case to see all filed documents.
Phone searches are free. Call 1-866-222-8029 any time, day or night. McVCIS runs 24/7. Punch in names or numbers on your keypad. The system reads back case info.
Try RECAP Archive first. Go to courtlistener.com/recap. Documents others pulled from PACER show up here for free.
Filing Fees and Costs
Federal law sets filing fees. They are the same in every county and state. Chapter 7 costs $338. Chapter 13 costs $313. Chapter 11 runs $1,738.
Copies have separate costs. PACER charges 10 cents per page with a $3.00 cap per document. Certified copies from the clerk cost $12.00. Having the clerk do a name search runs $32.00.
- Chapter 7 filing: $338
- Chapter 13 filing: $313
- Chapter 11 filing: $1,738
- PACER: $0.10/page (max $3.00)
- Certified copy: $12.00
- Clerk search: $32.00
Some filers can pay over time. Very low-income people may get fees waived. Check the court website for forms.
Types of Bankruptcy
Most people file Chapter 7 or Chapter 13. These cover nearly all personal cases.
Chapter 7 moves fast. It wipes out most debts in about four months. You may lose some property. Alabama has exemptions that protect quite a bit though. This works best if you have high debt, low income, and mainly credit cards or medical bills.
Chapter 13 is a payment plan. You pay what you can for three to five years. Leftover debts get wiped at the end. This works well if you have steady income and want to keep your home. You can catch up on late mortgage payments through the plan.
Chapter 11 is for businesses. Chapter 12 is for farmers. Coosa County has some rural land, so Chapter 12 may fit some residents.
What Bankruptcy Records Show
Each case has many documents. The petition starts things with basic debtor info. Schedules list all assets, debts, income, and expenses. The Statement of Financial Affairs covers recent history.
More papers come as the case moves on. Creditors file claims. The trustee writes reports. The judge issues orders. A discharge order at the end wipes out debts.
Federal law at 11 U.S.C. Section 107 makes most records public. Personal data gets protected though. You only see four digits of Social Security numbers. Birth dates show the year only. Children appear as initials.
Bankruptcy Administrator
Alabama does things its own way. Most states use U.S. Trustees from the Justice Department. Alabama and North Carolina have Bankruptcy Administrators instead. They work directly for the court.
The administrator runs the 341 meeting of creditors. Every case has one. The debtor shows up and answers questions under oath. Creditors can attend too, but most skip it. Meetings usually take just a few minutes.
Reach the Middle District Bankruptcy Administrator at (334) 954-3850. Their site at almba.uscourts.gov has trustee info and meeting times.
Finding Legal Help
Bankruptcy has strict rules. Most people hire lawyers. Legal Services Alabama helps low-income residents. The Montgomery office at (334) 832-4570 serves Coosa County.
The Alabama State Bar referral line is (800) 392-5660. They connect you with bankruptcy attorneys. Many offer free first meetings. Use these to compare.
Lawyer fees for Chapter 7 typically run $1,000 to $2,000. Chapter 13 costs more. These are on top of court filing fees.
Cities in Coosa County
Coosa County includes Rockford, Goodwater, and Kellyton. Rockford is the county seat. The county is one of the smallest in Alabama by population. All bankruptcy cases go through Montgomery.
Nearby Counties
These counties border Coosa. Elmore, Chilton, and Tallapoosa are also in the Middle District.