Access Bulloch County Bankruptcy Records

Bankruptcy records from Bulloch County are federal documents stored by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Georgia. Statesboro is the county seat and it actually has a hearing office for the Southern District, though it is not always staffed. The main clerk offices are in Savannah, Augusta, and Brunswick. Searching for Bulloch County bankruptcy records is straightforward through PACER online, the McVCIS phone system, or a trip to one of the staffed court locations for in-person viewing.

Federal Court Serving Bulloch County

The Southern District of Georgia Bankruptcy Court has jurisdiction over Bulloch County. The Savannah office at 124 Barnard Street, Second Floor, Savannah, GA 31401 is the main location. Phone: (912) 650-4100. Augusta and Brunswick also have staffed offices.

What makes Bulloch County somewhat unique is that the Southern District has a hearing office right in Statesboro at 52 North Main Street, Statesboro, GA 30458. Hearings are held there when scheduled, but the office is not staffed full time. You cannot walk in on any given day to access records. For regular in-person access, the Savannah office is the best choice for Bulloch County residents.

Chief Judge Michele J. Kim oversees the bench. Dana M. Wilson is the Clerk. Visit the case information page to learn about search tools available for Bulloch County cases.

How to Search Bulloch County Records

PACER is the go-to online resource. Free to register. Select the Southern District of Georgia and search by debtor name or case number. You get complete docket sheets, every filed document, and current case status for Bulloch County bankruptcy filings. The fee is $0.10 per page, capped at $3.00 for single documents of 30 pages or less.

McVCIS at 1-866-222-8029 gives you basic case information at no cost. It runs all day. Select the Southern District and search for Bulloch County records by name or case number. The system reports the debtor name, case number, chapter, judge, trustee, filing date, and whether the case is open or closed.

The PACER Case Locator is your nationwide option. It searches all federal courts at once. If someone from Bulloch County filed in another state or district, this tool will find it.

Bankruptcy Types Filed in Bulloch County

Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 make up the bulk of bankruptcy filings from Bulloch County. Chapter 7 is liquidation. A trustee sells non-exempt assets, and the court discharges remaining eligible debts. Under 11 U.S.C., a means test determines eligibility. Most Chapter 7 cases finish in three to four months.

Chapter 13 lets debtors keep property while paying back what they owe over three to five years. This works well for Bulloch County residents who have a steady paycheck but got behind on their bills. Chapter 12 applies to family farmers and fishermen. Chapter 11 is business reorganization. All of these case types create records that the public can search at any time.

Bulloch County Bankruptcy Exemptions

Georgia requires all filers to use state exemptions. O.C.G.A. 44-13-100 lists the amounts. Bulloch County residents can protect up to $21,500 in home equity. A married couple filing together may shield $43,000. Vehicle equity is exempt to $5,000. Personal property up to $5,000 total is safe, with no single item above $300.

Jewelry: $500. Work tools: $1,500. The wildcard of $1,200 applies to any property. Unused homestead exemption up to $10,000 can stack on top of the wildcard. Workers comp is fully exempt under O.C.G.A. 34-9-84. Social Security, unemployment, veterans benefits, alimony, and child support all have full protection. Retirement accounts are safe too in Bulloch County bankruptcy filings.

Fees for Bulloch County Cases

PACER online access: $0.10 per page. Cap of $3.00 for documents 30 pages or under. Viewing at public terminals: free. Terminal printing: $0.10 per page.

Mail or in-person copies cost $0.50 per page. Certified copies are $12.00 extra per document. If you need the court to search for a Bulloch County case and you don't have the number, that costs $34.00. Use Form B1320 with a money order or certified check. McVCIS is free.

Note: Quarterly PACER charges under $30 may be waived automatically.

Bulloch County State Court Records

The Bulloch County Clerk of Superior Court in Statesboro maintains state records. Civil cases, criminal filings, property deeds, and liens are on file at the county courthouse. Bankruptcy is not among them. But some state records from Bulloch County can connect to a federal bankruptcy case. Liens on property, civil judgments, and deed transfers may all appear in someone's bankruptcy filing. The GSCCCA offers statewide search access for these records.

The screenshot below shows the Southern District of Georgia Bankruptcy Court homepage, the federal court managing all Bulloch County bankruptcy cases.

Bulloch County residents can reach the court through this website for forms, fee schedules, and case search tools.

Filing Rules and Archived Records

The 730-day residency rule applies to Bulloch County. You need two years of Georgia residency to use state bankruptcy exemptions. If you are new to Bulloch County from another state, your old state's rules might still apply until the two-year mark.

Re-filing is limited. Chapter 7 to Chapter 7: eight years. Chapter 7 to Chapter 13: four years. Chapter 13 to Chapter 13: two years. Archived Bulloch County cases are stored at the National Archives. Call the Savannah clerk at (912) 650-4100 for the reference data needed to order from NARA.

Nearby Counties

Bulloch County is in east-central Georgia. Several neighboring counties are also within the Southern District for bankruptcy filings.