Hart County Bankruptcy Records Lookup

Bankruptcy records filed by Hart County residents are kept by the federal courts. The local courthouse in Hartwell does not handle bankruptcy filings. Instead, the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Middle District of Georgia processes all cases from this northeast Georgia county near Lake Hartwell. You can search Hart County bankruptcy records through PACER online or call the McVCIS system at no charge for basic case information. The Middle District clerk office in Macon maintains every petition, motion, and order from Hart County cases for public review.

Middle District Court Serving Hart County

The U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Middle District of Georgia handles all Hart County bankruptcy cases. The main staffed office is in Macon at 433 Cherry Street, Macon, GA 31201, phone 478-752-3506. Columbus has the other staffed location at 901 Front Avenue, Columbus, GA 31902, phone 706-649-7837.

Hart County is in the northeast part of the Middle District, close to the Athens hearing location at 115 East Hancock Avenue. The Athens office is only staffed when hearings take place. For regular business, the Macon office is where you go. Chief Judge Austin E. Carter presides over the district, and Kyle George serves as Clerk. Hart County is one of 69 counties under this court's authority.

How to Search Hart County Bankruptcy Records

PACER gives you the fastest results. Create a free account and search by debtor name or case number. You get docket sheets, filed documents, schedules, and court orders for any Hart County bankruptcy filing. PACER works around the clock.

Use the PACER Case Locator to search across every federal court at once. This helps when you are not sure if the case was filed in the Middle District or if the person may have filed in another state. Hart County is near the South Carolina border, so cross-state filings do happen.

For free information, call McVCIS at 1-866-222-8029. Select the Middle District of Georgia. The automated line provides the debtor name, case number, chapter, filing date, judge, trustee, and current status. It runs every day. No document access, but it confirms whether a Hart County bankruptcy exists in the system.

Hart County Bankruptcy Record Fees

PACER is $0.10 per page. The $3.00 cap covers single documents of 30 pages or fewer. Viewing records at the clerk office on public terminals is free. Printing costs $0.10 per page.

In-person and mail copy requests are $0.50 per page. Certified copies are $12.00 extra per document. A search by name when you lack a case number costs $34.00. Submit Form B1320 with payment by money order or certified check to "Clerk, U.S. Bankruptcy Court."

Bankruptcy Exemptions for Hart County Residents

Georgia opted out of federal exemptions. Hart County residents filing bankruptcy follow the state exemptions in O.C.G.A. 44-13-100. The homestead exemption covers $21,500 of home equity. Married couples can shield $43,000 if the property is in one spouse's name. Vehicles get $5,000 protection.

Other exemptions include $5,000 for personal property (no item over $300), $500 for jewelry, and $1,500 for trade tools. The wildcard of $1,200 applies to any asset, and up to $10,000 of unused homestead can be stacked on it. Social Security, workers compensation, unemployment, and veterans benefits are fully exempt for Hart County filers. Retirement accounts are protected too.

Note: The 730-day Georgia residency requirement must be met to use these state exemptions.

Types of Hart County Bankruptcy Cases

Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 are the most common filings from Hart County. Chapter 7 is a liquidation case. Non-exempt assets get sold to pay creditors, and most debts are discharged. It typically takes three to four months. Chapter 13 lets the debtor keep property while paying debts through a three to five year plan.

Chapter 12 covers family farmers and fishermen. Chapter 11 is for business reorganizations. All case types produce records stored by the Middle District and searchable through PACER. Public access is guaranteed under 11 U.S.C.

Hart County Clerk and State Records

The Hart County Clerk of Superior Court in Hartwell manages state court records. Civil cases, criminal filings, deeds, liens, and other local court matters are handled here. The clerk does not store bankruptcy records. Those are federal. However, county-level records can connect to a bankruptcy case. A judgment or lien in Hart County might be part of a debtor's bankruptcy schedules.

The Georgia Superior Court Clerks Cooperative Authority provides online search access for state records from all Georgia counties. For bankruptcy filings, use PACER or contact the Middle District clerk.

Above is the Middle District court website where Hart County bankruptcy cases are filed and stored.

Archived Hart County Bankruptcy Cases

Old closed cases from Hart County may be stored with the National Archives and Records Administration. If PACER does not show a case, call the Macon clerk at 478-752-3506 to check the archive status. They will give you the reference numbers you need for a NARA request. Plan on several weeks for delivery.

Filing Rules for Hart County

Georgia exemptions need 730 days of state residency before your filing date. Hart County residents who moved from another state within the last two years may have to apply that state's exemptions. Re-filing limits are eight years for Chapter 7 to Chapter 7, four years from Chapter 7 to Chapter 13, and two years between Chapter 13 filings. These federal rules apply equally across the Middle District.

Nearby Counties

Hart County borders several northeast Georgia counties across the Middle and Northern districts. Bankruptcy records from these areas are all accessible through PACER.