Chatham County Bankruptcy Records Search

Chatham County bankruptcy records are filed with the Southern District of Georgia Bankruptcy Court, which has a staffed office right in Savannah. This makes Chatham County one of the easier places in southeast Georgia to access bankruptcy filings in person. Whether you want to search cases online, visit the clerk office, or call for basic case details, several options exist. The county seat is Savannah, the largest city in the Southern District. This page covers all the ways to find Chatham County bankruptcy records, the fees charged by the court, what types of cases get filed, and where to look for related public records.

Chatham County Bankruptcy Court Office

The Southern District of Georgia Bankruptcy Court has a fully staffed office in Savannah. It is at 124 Barnard Street, Second Floor, Savannah, GA 31401. The phone number is (912) 650-4100. The mailing address is PO Box 8347, Savannah, GA 31412. This office is open Monday through Friday and handles case filings, records requests, and general questions about Chatham County bankruptcy cases.

The chief judge for the Southern District is Hon. Michele J. Kim. The clerk of court is Dana M. Wilson. Because Savannah is a staffed divisional office, Chatham County residents can walk in and use the public computer terminals to view dockets and documents free of charge. Printing costs $0.10 per page. Staff at the window can help with copy requests and certified document needs.

The Southern District also has staffed offices in Augusta and Brunswick. For Chatham County cases, the Savannah office is where you will want to go.

Online Search for Chatham County Cases

PACER is the best online tool for Chatham County bankruptcy records. It holds every filing, docket entry, motion, and order from every federal bankruptcy court. Create a free account, log in, and search by debtor name or case number. Documents cost $0.10 per page to view or download. PACER is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

The PACER Case Locator is another useful tool. It searches across all federal courts. If someone lived in Chatham County but may have filed elsewhere, or if they filed in another state before moving to Savannah, this tool can find it. You can save searches and track cases over time.

For more info on how the Southern District handles records and what resources are available, visit the case information page on the court website.

Free Phone Access for Chatham County Records

McVCIS at 1-866-222-8029 provides free case information over the phone. The system is automated and runs all day, every day. Pick the Southern District of Georgia from the menu, then search by name or case number. You get the debtor name, case number, judge, filing date, chapter, attorney, trustee, and case status.

McVCIS is not a substitute for PACER when you need full documents. But it works well as a quick, free check on any Chatham County bankruptcy case in the system. No registration is needed. Just call and follow the prompts.

Note: McVCIS provides general info only and is not the official court record.

Chatham County Bankruptcy Record Fees

Several fee levels apply when getting bankruptcy records from Chatham County cases. PACER charges $0.10 per page for online access. Viewing records on the public terminals in the Savannah clerk office is free. Printing from those terminals costs $0.10 per page.

For copies requested in person at the clerk office or by mail, the fee jumps to $0.50 per page. Certified copies cost an extra $12.00 per document. If you lack a case number and need the court to conduct a search, the charge is $34.00. Submit Form B1320 with your payment to request this service.

Bankruptcy Filing Types in Chatham County

Chatham County sees filings under all the main chapters of the Bankruptcy Code. Chapter 7 liquidation is the most common for individuals. The court appoints a trustee who reviews assets, sells anything not exempt, and pays creditors. Many Chatham County Chapter 7 cases are no-asset cases where the debtor has nothing above the exemption limits.

Chapter 13 is also very common. This lets the debtor keep property while paying back debts over three to five years. Chatham County homeowners facing foreclosure often use Chapter 13 to catch up on mortgage payments. Chapter 11 filings come from Savannah-area businesses that need to restructure. Chapter 12 covers family farmers and fishermen. Each chapter produces court records that you can search and access through the methods listed above.

Georgia Exemptions for Chatham County Filers

Georgia uses its own exemptions, not the federal ones. Under O.C.G.A. 44-13-100, Chatham County residents can protect a home up to $21,500 in equity, a car up to $5,000, work tools up to $1,500, and jewelry up to $500. The wildcard exemption adds $1,200 plus up to $10,000 in unused homestead value.

Income from Social Security, veterans benefits, workers' compensation (O.C.G.A. 34-9-84), unemployment, alimony, and child support is fully exempt. So are most retirement accounts. To use Georgia exemptions, a filer must have lived in the state for at least 730 days before the filing date. This two-year residency rule applies to everyone in Chatham County who files for bankruptcy.

Archived Cases and NARA

Older Chatham County bankruptcy cases that have been closed for several years may transfer to the National Archives. These records leave the PACER system. To get them, you need the case number, accession number, location number, and box number. The clerk office in Savannah at (912) 650-4100 can provide these details so you can order from NARA directly.

Related Chatham County Public Records

The Chatham County Superior Court Clerk in Savannah handles state-level records like civil cases, property deeds, and liens. The GSCCCA provides statewide search access for deed and lien records. When a Chatham County bankruptcy involves property, cross-referencing GSCCCA data with the federal bankruptcy docket gives a complete picture of what happened with the debtor's assets.

Chatham County is home to Savannah, which has its own city page on this site. For city-specific information about accessing bankruptcy records in the Savannah area, see the Savannah bankruptcy records page.

Nearby Counties

Chatham County is on the Georgia coast. All bordering counties are in the Southern District for bankruptcy purposes.