Ben Hill County Bankruptcy Records

Bankruptcy records for Ben Hill County residents are filed and stored in the federal court system. The Middle District of Georgia Bankruptcy Court in Macon handles all cases from this south-central Georgia county. Fitzgerald serves as the county seat, but bankruptcy filings are not processed at the local level. You can search Ben Hill County bankruptcy records online through PACER at any time, call the free McVCIS phone service for basic case facts, or visit the clerk office at the federal courthouse in Macon for in-person access to documents and docket sheets.

Searching Ben Hill County Bankruptcy Cases

Online access is through PACER. Create a free account to get started. Search by the debtor's name, case number, or last four digits of a Social Security number (attorneys only). PACER returns the full docket, all documents that have been filed, hearing dates, and the current status of Ben Hill County cases. It works at any hour.

The PACER Case Locator is useful if you are not sure which court district handles the case. It scans all federal courts in one search. Type a name and see if there are matches in the Middle District or any other court.

For a no-cost option, try McVCIS. Call 1-866-222-8029. The automated line runs 24/7 and tells you the debtor name, case number, chapter, judge, trustee, filing date, and case status. Pick the Middle District of Georgia from the phone menu to find Ben Hill County records.

Middle District Court Serving Ben Hill County

Ben Hill County falls under the Middle District of Georgia Bankruptcy Court. The main office is in Macon at 433 Cherry Street, Macon, GA 31201. Phone: 478-752-3506. A second staffed office is in Columbus at 901 Front Avenue, Columbus, GA 31902, reachable at 706-649-7837.

Hearings for Ben Hill County cases may be scheduled at the Valdosta location at 401 N. Patterson Street. However, that office is not regularly staffed. Only the Macon and Columbus offices have full-time staff. All mail filings from Ben Hill County should go to the Macon address. Chief Judge Austin E. Carter and Clerk Kyle George run the court. The court information page has directions and operating details.

Ben Hill County Clerk of Court

Kimberly Newell is the Clerk of Superior Court for Ben Hill County. The office is at 115 South Sheridan Street, Fitzgerald, GA 31750. Phone: (229) 426-5135. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM. You can find more about the office at the Ben Hill County clerk page.

The clerk handles state court records for Ben Hill County, including civil cases, criminal filings, deeds, and liens. These records are completely separate from federal bankruptcy filings. Still, they can overlap. A judgment lien or deed transfer in Ben Hill County might appear in a debtor's bankruptcy petition. For state records searches across Georgia, use the GSCCCA portal.

Below you can see the Ben Hill County Clerk of Superior Court page, where state court records and contact details for the Fitzgerald office are available.

For actual bankruptcy documents, you need to use the federal system rather than the local clerk in Fitzgerald.

Fees for Ben Hill County Records

PACER charges $0.10 per page for online access. Documents of 30 pages or under are capped at $3.00. Viewing at the Macon courthouse public terminals is free, but printing there runs $0.10 per page.

Mail and in-person copies from the clerk office cost $0.50 per page. Certified copies add $12.00 on top of the page charges. When you need a case search without a number, the fee is $34.00. Submit Form B1320 with a money order or certified check made to "Clerk, U.S. Bankruptcy Court." Phone searches through McVCIS cost nothing at all for Ben Hill County records.

Exemptions for Ben Hill County Filers

Georgia requires state exemptions. Under O.C.G.A. 44-13-100, Ben Hill County residents can protect $21,500 in home equity. The vehicle exemption is $5,000. Personal property up to $5,000 total is safe, though no single item can be worth more than $300. Jewelry protection is $500, and work tools are covered up to $1,500.

The wildcard exemption of $1,200 can go toward any asset type. You can add up to $10,000 of unused homestead exemption to the wildcard. This helps Ben Hill County residents who rent their home instead of owning. Social Security, veterans benefits, unemployment pay, and workers comp (under O.C.G.A. 34-9-84) are all fully protected. Alimony and child support income cannot be touched. Retirement savings in 401(k), IRA, and pension accounts are also safe in a Ben Hill County bankruptcy.

The 730-day residency rule from the federal Bankruptcy Code means you must have lived in Georgia two full years to use these state exemptions.

Archived Ben Hill County Cases

After a bankruptcy case from Ben Hill County is closed for a number of years, the court ships the records to the National Archives. To get copies, first call the Middle District clerk in Macon at 478-752-3506. They provide the accession number, box number, and location data you need to order from NARA directly. This takes several weeks, so start early if you need old records.

Note: Cases still on PACER do not require a NARA request, even if they are closed.

Nearby Counties

Ben Hill County is in south-central Georgia. The counties around it are also part of the Middle District, with the exception of Coffee which falls under the Southern District.