Catoosa County Bankruptcy Filings

Bankruptcy records for Catoosa County are kept by the Northern District of Georgia federal court, not the local courthouse in Ringgold. Catoosa County sits in the far northwest corner of Georgia near the Tennessee line. Anyone looking to search for bankruptcy cases, pull docket sheets, or get copies of filings tied to Catoosa County residents will need to go through the federal system. The closest Northern District office with regular staff is in Rome, though the main court sits in Atlanta. This guide breaks down every method you can use to find these records and what to expect along the way.

Northern District Court for Catoosa County

The Northern District of Georgia Bankruptcy Court covers 46 counties, including Catoosa County. The main office is in Atlanta at the Richard B. Russell Federal Building, 75 Ted Turner Drive SW, Room 1340, Atlanta, GA 30303. Phone is (404) 215-1000. For Catoosa County residents, the Rome divisional office at 600 East First Street, Room 339, Rome, GA 30161 is closer. Call (706) 291-5639 for the Rome office.

Both offices handle bankruptcy filings and can provide records. The Rome office may be more convenient if you live in Ringgold or Fort Oglethorpe. Staff can look up cases, take filing fees, and give you copies of court documents tied to Catoosa County cases.

Note: Catoosa County's Superior Court Clerk does not have jurisdiction over bankruptcy matters.

How to Find Catoosa County Bankruptcy Cases

PACER is the go-to resource. It is an online system run by the federal courts. After you create a free account, search by name or case number. Every document in a Catoosa County bankruptcy case is there. Motions, schedules, orders, the discharge, all of it. It costs $0.10 per page to access documents.

You can also use the PACER Case Locator to search all federal courts at once. This helps when you know a person's name but not which court they filed in. Results come back fast. Save your searches to run them again later.

Prefer the phone? McVCIS at 1-866-222-8029 gives free case info around the clock. Follow the voice prompts, pick the Northern District of Georgia, and search by name or case number. You get basic details like the filing date, chapter, judge, attorney, trustee, and case status. It covers all Catoosa County bankruptcy filings in the system. This is not a way to get documents, but it tells you what you need to know to take the next step.

Catoosa County Bankruptcy Record Costs

Costs vary by method. Here is what you can expect when getting Catoosa County bankruptcy records:

• PACER online access: $0.10 per page
• Clerk office public terminal viewing: Free
• Printing at the clerk office: $0.10 per page
• In-person or mail copy requests: $0.50 per page
• Certified copies: $12.00 per document (plus copy fees)
• Case search without a case number: $34.00 (use Form B1320)

Make checks payable to "Clerk, U.S. Bankruptcy Court." The court accepts money orders, certified checks, and cash for walk-in transactions.

Bankruptcy Chapters Filed in Catoosa County

Federal law under 11 U.S.C. defines the types of bankruptcy available. Most individual filers in Catoosa County go with Chapter 7 or Chapter 13. Chapter 7 is straight liquidation. A trustee sells assets that are not exempt and uses the money to pay creditors. Many people who file Chapter 7 have few assets, so there is nothing to sell. The case wraps up in a few months.

Chapter 13 is different. The debtor keeps their property and pays back debts through a plan lasting three to five years. This is common in Catoosa County when someone wants to save their home from foreclosure. The monthly payment is based on income and expenses. A trustee collects the payments and distributes them to creditors.

Business cases from Catoosa County usually fall under Chapter 11. Family farmers may use Chapter 12. All filings create a public record that you can search and access.

State Exemptions for Catoosa County Filers

Georgia has opted out of the federal exemption scheme. Everyone filing bankruptcy in Catoosa County uses the state exemptions under O.C.G.A. 44-13-100. The homestead exemption is $21,500. Vehicles are exempt up to $5,000. Tools of the trade up to $1,500. Jewelry up to $500. Personal items up to $5,000 total with a $300 cap per item.

The wildcard exemption gives an extra $1,200 plus up to $10,000 of unused homestead exemption. Fully exempt income includes Social Security, veterans benefits, workers' compensation under O.C.G.A. 34-9-84, unemployment, and alimony. Retirement accounts are also protected. These exemptions apply to every Catoosa County bankruptcy case, whether Chapter 7 or Chapter 13.

Old Cases and NARA Archives

If you are looking for a very old Catoosa County bankruptcy case that no longer shows up on PACER, the records have likely been transferred to the National Archives. Contact the Northern District clerk at (404) 215-1000 for help. They can provide the accession and location numbers you need to request the file from NARA.

The NARA process takes longer than pulling a file from PACER, so plan ahead. You will need to submit a written request with the case details. This is the path for getting archived bankruptcy records from Catoosa County cases that were closed and moved off the court's electronic system.

Catoosa County Related Court Records

State-level records for Catoosa County are at the Superior Court Clerk office in Ringgold. These cover civil suits, criminal cases, property deeds, and lien filings. The Georgia Superior Court Clerks' Cooperative Authority offers a statewide search for these records. Cross-checking GSCCCA data with federal bankruptcy filings can be useful, especially when liens or property transfers are involved in a Catoosa County case.

For more details on case procedures and local rules in the Northern District, visit the case information page on the court website. It includes filing guides, forms, and fee schedules that apply to all Catoosa County bankruptcy cases.

Nearby Counties

Catoosa County borders a handful of counties in northwest Georgia. All are part of the Northern District for bankruptcy purposes. Walker and Whitfield Counties are the closest neighbors.