Houston County Bankruptcy Records Search

Bankruptcy records for Houston County residents are held in the federal court system. The U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Middle District of Georgia processes all bankruptcy filings from this central Georgia county, which has its seat in Perry and includes the city of Warner Robins. Houston County is one of the more populated counties in the Middle District, and the Macon clerk office is just a short drive from Perry and Warner Robins. You can also search Houston County bankruptcy records through PACER online or call the free McVCIS phone system for case basics.

Middle District Court for Houston County

All Houston County bankruptcy cases are filed with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Middle District of Georgia. The main office is at the Thomas Jefferson Federal Building, 433 Cherry Street, Macon, GA 31201. Call the clerk at 478-752-3506. Given that Houston County borders Bibb County, the Macon courthouse is very close for most residents, especially those in Warner Robins and Perry. The trip is roughly 30 minutes or less.

The Middle District also has a staffed office in Columbus at One Arsenal Place, 901 Front Avenue, Columbus, GA 31902, phone 706-649-7837. Chief Judge Austin E. Carter presides over the district. Kyle George serves as Clerk. The Middle District covers 69 counties across central and southwest Georgia. Houston County generates a substantial number of filings due to its population base around Robins Air Force Base and the Warner Robins area.

How to Search Houston County Bankruptcy Records

PACER is the primary way to search for Houston County bankruptcy records. Registration is free. Search by debtor name or case number. PACER returns docket sheets, filed documents, schedules of assets and debts, and court orders. The system works around the clock and is updated in real time as new documents are filed.

Not certain which court has the case? The PACER Case Locator searches all federal courts in one shot. With military personnel frequently moving through Houston County because of Robins Air Force Base, cases may have been filed in other states. The case locator helps track those down.

McVCIS is the free phone option. Dial 1-866-222-8029 and select the Middle District of Georgia. You get the debtor name, case number, chapter, filing date, judge, trustee, and current status. It runs 24/7. No documents come through the phone, but it confirms if a Houston County case exists. For more detail, you then go to PACER.

In person, visit the Macon clerk office. Public terminals let you view records at no charge. Prints cost $0.10 per page.

Houston County Bankruptcy Fees

PACER charges $0.10 per page for searches and document downloads. Single documents of 30 pages or less are capped at $3.00. Using public terminals at the Macon clerk office is free. Printing from those terminals costs $0.10 per page.

In-person and mail copy requests run $0.50 per page. Certified copies add $12.00 per document. If you lack a case number and need the clerk to search, file Form B1320 with a $34.00 fee. Pay by money order or certified check to "Clerk, U.S. Bankruptcy Court." Cash is accepted for walk-in requests at the Macon office.

Note: The $0.10 PACER charge applies to every page you view or download, so costs can add up when researching multiple Houston County cases.

Exemptions in Houston County Bankruptcy Cases

Georgia does not use the federal exemptions. Houston County residents follow state law under O.C.G.A. 44-13-100. The homestead exemption protects up to $21,500 of equity in a primary residence. Married couples filing together can shield $43,000 when the property is in one spouse's name only.

The vehicle exemption is $5,000. Personal property gets $5,000 total, each item capped at $300. Jewelry has a $500 limit. Tools of the trade are protected to $1,500. The wildcard exemption is $1,200, and you can add up to $10,000 of unused homestead exemption to it. Social Security, workers compensation, veterans benefits, and unemployment income are fully exempt. Retirement accounts including 401(k) plans and IRAs are also protected for Houston County filers.

Types of Houston County Bankruptcy Cases

Most Houston County filings are Chapter 7 or Chapter 13. Chapter 7 is liquidation. Non-exempt assets are sold, and remaining debts get discharged. It typically closes in three to four months. This is the most common filing type across the Middle District.

Chapter 13 creates a repayment plan over three to five years. The debtor keeps their property and pays back debts from income. Many Houston County homeowners choose this route to stop foreclosure. Chapter 11 handles business reorganization. Chapter 12 is for family farmers and fishermen. All types are filed through the Middle District and searchable in PACER. Under 11 U.S.C., all these records are public.

Houston County Clerk and State Records

The Houston County Clerk of Superior Court in Perry handles state-level records. Civil cases, criminal filings, deeds, liens, and other state court documents are stored at this office. Bankruptcy records are not kept here. They belong to the federal court system. However, records from both levels can overlap. A lien recorded in Houston County might be listed in a bankruptcy case, and a federal discharge order could affect a state court judgment.

The Georgia Superior Court Clerks Cooperative Authority provides statewide online access to state-level records including Houston County. Use it for deeds and liens. For the bankruptcy filing itself, always go to the federal court system.

The Houston County government website shown above provides access to local government services and county clerk information in Perry.

The Middle District court website is where all Houston County bankruptcy filings are processed.

Archived Houston County Bankruptcy Records

Older closed cases from Houston County may be stored with the National Archives and Records Administration. If PACER does not show a case, it may have been archived. Call the Macon clerk at 478-752-3506 to check. They can provide the accession number, location number, and box number for a NARA request. Allow several weeks for delivery of archived records.

Filing Rules for Houston County

Georgia exemptions require 730 days of state residency before your filing date. Houston County has a large military population, and service members who recently transferred to Robins Air Force Base may need to use their prior state's exemptions if they have not lived in Georgia for two full years. The re-filing limits are eight years between Chapter 7 discharges, four years from Chapter 7 to Chapter 13, and two years between Chapter 13 filings.

Warner Robins Bankruptcy Records

Warner Robins is the largest city in Houston County. All bankruptcy filings from Warner Robins go through the same Middle District court in Macon. The search process is identical whether you live in Perry, Warner Robins, Centerville, or anywhere else in Houston County. For more details specific to Warner Robins, see our Warner Robins bankruptcy records page.

Nearby Counties

Houston County is in central Georgia, bordering several other Middle District counties. Bankruptcy records from neighboring areas are all searched through the same PACER system and Macon clerk office.