Access Chattooga County Bankruptcy Records

Chattooga County bankruptcy records are maintained by the Northern District of Georgia Bankruptcy Court. Summerville is the county seat, and the county sits in northwest Georgia. Bankruptcy cases are federal matters, so the Chattooga County courthouse does not keep these files. The Northern District has a divisional office in nearby Rome that serves this part of the state. You can also access records online through PACER or by phone through the free McVCIS system. Below you will find step-by-step details on searching for Chattooga County bankruptcy filings, what the fees are, and how the process works from start to finish.

Chattooga County Court Offices

The Northern District of Georgia Bankruptcy Court handles all bankruptcy filings from Chattooga County. For in-person access, the Rome divisional office is the nearest. It sits at 600 East First Street, Room 339, Rome, GA 30161. The phone is (706) 291-5639. The main Atlanta office is at 75 Ted Turner Drive SW, Room 1340, Atlanta, GA 30303, phone (404) 215-1000.

The clerk of court is Vania S. Allen. Offices are open Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM. Walk-in visitors can use public computer terminals in either office to view Chattooga County bankruptcy records at no cost. If you need printed copies, that is $0.10 per page at the terminal.

Searching Chattooga County Bankruptcy Cases

Start with PACER. This is the federal courts' online records system. Sign up for a free account, then search by name or case number. Every document filed in a Chattooga County bankruptcy case is available through PACER: petitions, schedules, motions, court orders, and discharge papers. Charges run $0.10 per page.

When you do not know which court handled a case, use the PACER Case Locator. It searches across all federal courts in the country. This is handy for tracking down cases when a debtor may have filed in another district before living in Chattooga County.

The free option is McVCIS. Call 1-866-222-8029 any time, day or night. Choose the Northern District of Georgia, then search by name or case number. The automated system reads back case details: debtor name, case number, judge, filing date, chapter type, attorney, trustee, and status. No documents come through the phone, but it confirms whether a Chattooga County filing exists.

Note: PACER registration is free, but you pay per page once you start viewing records.

Record Fees for Chattooga County Cases

Online through PACER, you pay $0.10 per page. At the clerk office, viewing on the public terminal is free. Printing there costs $0.10 per page. If you request copies in person or by mail, the cost goes up to $0.50 per page. Certified copies add $12.00 per document.

When you cannot provide a case number and need the court to search for it, the fee is $34.00. Submit Form B1320 along with your payment. Make checks out to "Clerk, U.S. Bankruptcy Court." Money orders and certified checks are the standard methods. Cash works only for in-person requests at the clerk window.

Chattooga County Bankruptcy Filing Chapters

Federal law controls what types of bankruptcy a Chattooga County resident can file. The Bankruptcy Code, Title 11 U.S.C., lays out the options. Chapter 7 is the most straightforward. The debtor gives up non-exempt assets, a trustee sells them, and the remaining qualifying debts are discharged. Most Chapter 7 cases in a small county like Chattooga are no-asset cases.

Chapter 13 lets the debtor keep their home, car, and other property while repaying debts over three to five years. Monthly payments go to a trustee, who distributes the funds. This chapter is popular when someone needs to catch up on a house payment or car loan but has steady income.

Chapter 11 covers business reorganizations. Chapter 12 applies to family farmers and fishermen. Both generate records that are searchable the same way as any other Chattooga County bankruptcy case.

Exemptions for Chattooga County Bankruptcy Filers

Georgia does not allow filers to use federal bankruptcy exemptions. Everyone in Chattooga County must use state exemptions found in O.C.G.A. 44-13-100. The homestead exemption protects up to $21,500 in home equity. Vehicles are exempt up to $5,000. Tools of the trade are covered up to $1,500. Jewelry gets $500 in protection. The wildcard exemption adds $1,200 plus up to $10,000 of unused homestead value.

Fully protected income in Chattooga County includes Social Security, unemployment benefits, veterans benefits, workers' compensation (O.C.G.A. 34-9-84), alimony, and child support. Retirement accounts are also safe. A person must have lived in Georgia at least 730 days before filing to qualify for these exemptions.

Old Chattooga County Cases at NARA

Closed bankruptcy cases from Chattooga County that have been off the active docket for a while get transferred to the National Archives and Records Administration. Once there, they leave the PACER system. To order copies from NARA, you need the case number, accession number, location number, and box number. Call the Northern District clerk at (404) 215-1000 or (706) 291-5639 to get those details.

Related Chattooga County Court Records

The Chattooga County Superior Court Clerk in Summerville handles state records: civil lawsuits, criminal cases, deeds, and liens. The GSCCCA provides an online search tool for property records and liens across all Georgia counties. When a Chattooga County bankruptcy case touches on real estate or secured debts, checking both the federal docket and the GSCCCA records gives you the complete story.

The Northern District also maintains a case information page with local rules, forms, and filing instructions that apply to all Chattooga County bankruptcy cases.

Nearby Counties

Chattooga County is in the northwest corner of Georgia. Its neighbors are all in the Northern District for bankruptcy filings.