Search Augusta Bankruptcy Records
Augusta bankruptcy records are filed and stored at the Southern District of Georgia Bankruptcy Court. The court has a staffed office right in Augusta at the Federal Justice Center on James Brown Boulevard. As the second largest city in Georgia with over 206,000 residents, Augusta generates a significant volume of bankruptcy filings each year. You can search Augusta bankruptcy records through PACER online, call the free McVCIS phone line, or walk into the Augusta clerk's office during business hours to look up records in person on the public terminals.
Augusta Quick Facts
Augusta Federal Bankruptcy Court
The Southern District of Georgia Bankruptcy Court handles all bankruptcy filings for Augusta and Richmond County. The Augusta Division office is at the Federal Justice Center, 600 James Brown Blvd, Augusta, GA 30901. Call (706) 823-6000 to reach the clerk's office. The mailing address is PO Box 1487, Augusta, GA 30903.
Augusta is one of three staffed offices in the Southern District. The other two are in Savannah and Brunswick. Chief Judge Michele J. Kim leads this court, and Dana M. Wilson serves as the clerk. The Augusta office handles walk-in requests, takes filings, and has public computer terminals where you can view bankruptcy records at no cost. Office hours are Monday through Friday. Unlike some of the smaller divisional offices in the Southern District that only open for hearings, the Augusta location is regularly staffed.
The Southern District covers 43 counties in the eastern and southeastern parts of Georgia. Augusta sits near the South Carolina border, and the court sees cases from across a wide rural area surrounding the city.
How to Search Augusta Bankruptcy Records
The fastest way to search is through PACER. Register for a free account, then log in and select the Southern District of Georgia. You can search by debtor name or case number. PACER shows docket sheets, filed documents, court orders, and discharge records. It works at any hour and costs $0.10 per page.
If you want to search for free, call McVCIS at 1-866-222-8029. This automated phone system runs all day and all night. Follow the prompts and pick the Southern District. You can search by name or case number. McVCIS gives you the debtor name, case number, filing date, chapter, judge, trustee, attorney, and current status. It is not the official record, but it gives you the key facts fast.
You can also visit the Augusta office in person. The public computer terminals let you view dockets and documents for free. Printing costs $0.10 per page. Staff at the clerk's office can help you find a case if you get stuck.
Note: The PACER Case Locator can search all federal districts at once if you are not sure which court has the case.
Augusta Bankruptcy Filing Costs
PACER access costs $0.10 per page. Viewing records on the public terminals in the Augusta clerk's office is free. Printing from those terminals is $0.10 per page.
If you request copies in person or by mail, the cost is $0.50 per page. Certified copies add $12 per document. When you need the clerk's office to search for a case and you don't have the case number, the fee is $34. You submit Form B1320 with that request. Payments can be made by money order or certified check, payable to "Clerk, U.S. Bankruptcy Court." Cash works for in-person visits.
Bankruptcy Exemptions for Augusta Filers
Georgia does not let filers use the federal bankruptcy exemptions. Instead, Augusta residents must follow the state exemptions in O.C.G.A. § 44-13-100. The homestead exemption covers up to $21,500 in equity for your home. Married couples can double that to $43,000 under certain conditions. A car is exempt up to $5,000 in value. Personal property is protected up to $5,000 total, with a $300 cap per item.
Jewelry gets a $500 exemption. Tools of the trade are exempt up to $1,500. The wildcard exemption gives you $1,200, and you can add up to $10,000 of unused homestead exemption on top of that. Personal injury recoveries are protected up to $7,500. Life insurance cash value is exempt up to $2,000.
Some income is fully exempt with no dollar limit. This includes Social Security, unemployment benefits, veterans benefits, workers' compensation, alimony, child support, and crime victim compensation. Retirement accounts like 401(k) plans, IRAs, and pensions are also fully protected in Augusta bankruptcy cases.
Types of Augusta Bankruptcy Cases
Chapter 7 liquidation is the most frequently filed type in Augusta. In these cases, non-exempt property is sold to pay off debts. Most filers keep all their property because it falls under the Georgia exemptions. A typical Chapter 7 case takes about three to four months from start to finish. Chapter 13 is the next most common. It creates a repayment plan lasting three to five years, letting filers catch up on secured debts while keeping their assets.
Chapter 11 is used mainly by businesses in the Augusta area for reorganization. Chapter 12 applies to family farmers and fishermen. Both are less common in Augusta.
The Southern District court website provides filing guides and local rules for Augusta bankruptcy cases.
Augusta Residency and Filing Rules
To use Georgia's exemptions, you must have lived in the state for at least 730 days before filing. That is a full two years. If you moved to Augusta from another state recently, the exemptions from your prior state may apply instead. This rule catches many people off guard. It is a federal requirement that applies in every district.
Re-filing limits also matter. You must wait eight years after a Chapter 7 discharge to file another Chapter 7. The wait is four years from Chapter 7 to Chapter 13. Between two Chapter 13 cases, the gap is two years. The clock starts from the original filing date.
Archived Records in Augusta
Closed bankruptcy cases from the Augusta division get transferred to the National Archives and Records Administration after a period of years. If a case does not show up in PACER, it may have been archived. Call the Augusta clerk's office at (706) 823-6000 to get the accession number, location number, and box number. You need those details before NARA can pull the records for you.
Richmond County Bankruptcy Records
Augusta is the county seat of Richmond County. All bankruptcy cases for Richmond County go through the Southern District of Georgia Bankruptcy Court. The Richmond County Superior Court Clerk handles state-level records like deeds, liens, and civil cases, but does not maintain bankruptcy records. The GSCCCA statewide search can help you find related county filings that may tie into a bankruptcy case. For complete bankruptcy court records, use PACER or visit the Augusta federal office.
Nearby Georgia Cities
Several other Georgia cities have their own bankruptcy court resources. Some are in the same district as Augusta, while others fall under the Northern or Middle District.