Find Charlton County Bankruptcy Records

Charlton County bankruptcy records are part of the federal court system under the Southern District of Georgia. The county seat is Folkston. Residents looking for bankruptcy filings, case documents, or discharge records from Charlton County will not find them at the local courthouse. All bankruptcy cases in Georgia go through federal courts. The nearest staffed office for the Southern District is in Brunswick, which handles a good portion of the work for southeast Georgia. This page explains how to search for and access Charlton County bankruptcy records, what it costs, and what kind of information these records hold.

Southern District Court and Charlton County

Every bankruptcy case from Charlton County goes to the Southern District of Georgia Bankruptcy Court. This district covers 43 counties in the southeastern part of the state. The chief judge is Hon. Michele J. Kim, and the clerk of court is Dana M. Wilson.

The Southern District has three staffed offices. Brunswick is at 801 Gloucester Street, 3rd Floor, Brunswick, GA 31520, phone (912) 280-1376. Savannah is at 124 Barnard Street, 2nd Floor, Savannah, GA 31401, phone (912) 650-4100. Augusta is at 600 James Brown Blvd, Augusta, GA 30901, phone (706) 823-6000. For Charlton County, the Brunswick office is the closest option for in-person visits. There is also a hearing office in Waycross at 601 Tebeau Street, Waycross, GA 31501, but it is not always staffed. If you plan to visit Waycross, check with the Brunswick office first.

Searching Charlton County Bankruptcy Cases Online

The primary tool for finding Charlton County bankruptcy records is PACER. It stands for Public Access to Court Electronic Records. Registration is free. Once you have an account, you can search by debtor name or case number. Results include the full docket, all filed documents, orders from the judge, and the final outcome of the case. The fee is $0.10 per page viewed or downloaded.

PACER works around the clock. You can check it from home at any hour. This matters in a rural area like Charlton County where the nearest court office is a drive away. Everything you would see on the public terminal at the clerk office is also on PACER.

Another option is the PACER Case Locator. This searches all federal courts nationwide. Good for when you know a name but not the court. Also helpful when someone may have filed in a different state before moving to Charlton County.

Charlton County Bankruptcy Records by Phone

McVCIS is a free voice system that provides basic case information. Call 1-866-222-8029 anytime. The automated system walks you through the steps. Select the Southern District of Georgia, then search by name or case number. You get the debtor name, case number, filing date, chapter, judge, attorney, trustee, and current status.

This service does not replace PACER for getting full documents. But it is a quick and free way to confirm whether a Charlton County bankruptcy case exists in the system.

Costs for Charlton County Court Records

Online access through PACER costs $0.10 per page. Viewing records at the clerk office on public terminals is free. Printing from those terminals is $0.10 per page. In-person or mail copy requests cost $0.50 per page. Certified copies are $12.00 extra per document.

If you need the court to search for a record and you do not have a case number, the fee is $34.00. Use Form B1320 to submit that request. Payment goes to "Clerk, U.S. Bankruptcy Court" by money order or certified check. Cash works for walk-in requests only.

Note: The McVCIS phone service is completely free and available 24 hours a day.

Types of Bankruptcy in Charlton County

All bankruptcy cases follow Title 11 of the U.S. Code. The main chapters that show up in Charlton County filings are Chapter 7 and Chapter 13. Chapter 7 is liquidation. A trustee reviews the debtor's assets, sells anything not protected by exemptions, and uses the proceeds to pay creditors. Most individual Chapter 7 cases in Charlton County are "no asset" cases, meaning the debtor has nothing to sell.

Chapter 13 is a payment plan. The debtor proposes a three to five year plan to repay some or all debts. They keep their property while making monthly payments through a trustee. This chapter is used often when someone wants to catch up on a mortgage or car loan. Charlton County is a rural area, and Chapter 12 filings also come up. Chapter 12 covers family farmers and fishermen who need to restructure debt while keeping their operations going.

Georgia Exemptions for Charlton County

Georgia opted out of the federal exemption system. Charlton County filers must use state exemptions under O.C.G.A. 44-13-100. Key protections include:

• Homestead: up to $21,500 ($43,000 for married couples in some cases)
• Motor vehicle: up to $5,000
• Tools of the trade: up to $1,500
• Jewelry: up to $500
• Personal property: up to $5,000 total ($300 per item)
• Wildcard: $1,200 plus up to $10,000 of unused homestead

Workers' compensation, Social Security, veterans benefits, unemployment benefits, and retirement accounts are fully exempt. These rules apply to every bankruptcy filing from Charlton County.

Archived Charlton County Cases

Very old cases from Charlton County may no longer appear on PACER. Closed cases eventually transfer to the National Archives and Records Administration. You need the case number, accession number, location number, and box number to order records from NARA. The clerk office at the Southern District can help you find these details. Call (912) 650-4100 or (912) 280-1376 to start that process.

Related Charlton County Records

State court records for Charlton County are at the Superior Court Clerk in Folkston. These include civil lawsuits, property deeds, liens, and criminal cases. The GSCCCA runs a statewide search for property records and liens. If a Charlton County bankruptcy case involves real estate or secured debts, checking the GSCCCA database alongside PACER gives a fuller view. The Southern District case information page also has useful resources, local rules, and filing guides for anyone working with Charlton County bankruptcy records.

Nearby Counties

Charlton County is in the far southeast corner of Georgia, bordering Florida. All neighboring Georgia counties are also in the Southern District for bankruptcy purposes.