Pike County Bankruptcy Records

Pike County bankruptcy records are filed through the federal court system. The Northern District of Georgia Bankruptcy Court handles all filings from this rural county south of Atlanta. Zebulon is the county seat, but the local courthouse has nothing to do with bankruptcy proceedings. To look up Pike County bankruptcy records, you can use PACER online, call McVCIS for free, or visit the Newnan or Atlanta clerk offices in person. Both locations have public terminals where you can view case records without charge. Electronic access runs at all hours.

Northern District Court for Pike County

Pike County is served by the Northern District of Georgia Bankruptcy Court. This district spans 46 counties in north Georgia and the metro Atlanta region. The main office is at the Richard B. Russell Federal Building, 75 Ted Turner Drive SW, Room 1340, Atlanta, GA 30303. Phone: (404) 215-1000.

The Newnan office is closer to Pike County. Its mailing address is P.O. Box 2328, Newnan, GA 30264. Phone: (678) 423-3000. Newnan sits just north of Pike County and handles filings for the southwestern part of the Northern District. Both offices have public computer terminals where Pike County residents can view records at no charge.

Chief Judge Barbara Ellis-Monro leads the district. Vania S. Allen is the Clerk of Court. More information about court operations is available on the case information page.

Finding Pike County Bankruptcy Records

PACER is the main online tool for Pike County bankruptcy records. Register for free and search by name or case number. You get docket sheets, case documents, and current status. Each page costs $0.10. Documents of 30 pages or less are capped at $3.00 total. The system is live every hour of every day.

The PACER Case Locator covers all federal courts in a single search. Use it when a Pike County resident might have filed in a different district or state before moving here. It returns results from every court nationwide.

For free access, call McVCIS at 1-866-222-8029. Select the Northern District of Georgia. The system provides the debtor name, case number, chapter, filing date, judge, trustee, and status. No cost. Works from any phone, any time.

Pike County Court Fees

PACER runs $0.10 per page. Public terminal viewing at the Atlanta or Newnan office is free. Printing from those terminals costs $0.10 per page.

Mail or in-person copies cost $0.50 per page. Certified copies are $12.00 extra per document. Records searches without a case number cost $34.00. Submit Form B1320 and pay by money order or certified check payable to "Clerk, U.S. Bankruptcy Court."

Note: Phone access through McVCIS is completely free.

Exemptions for Pike County Bankruptcy Filers

Georgia requires state exemptions for all bankruptcy filers. Federal exemptions cannot be used. O.C.G.A. 44-13-100 lists what Pike County residents can protect. The homestead exemption covers $21,500 in equity for individuals and $43,000 for married couples when the home is in one name. Vehicles are exempt up to $5,000.

Personal property gets $5,000 in total protection, no item above $300. Jewelry is safe to $500. Trade tools have a $1,500 shield. The wildcard gives $1,200 for any property. Up to $10,000 of unused homestead exemption can be added to it. This helps Pike County residents who rent or have paid off their mortgage and carry no equity concern.

Social Security, veterans benefits, workers comp (O.C.G.A. 34-9-84), unemployment, and child support or alimony are fully exempt. Retirement accounts are protected with no cap. Georgia's 730-day residency requirement must be satisfied before filing.

Bankruptcy Types in Pike County

Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 make up most Pike County filings. Chapter 7 is a liquidation. A trustee sells non-exempt assets and distributes the proceeds. Most remaining debt is discharged. It takes three to six months.

Chapter 13 creates a repayment plan over three to five years. Pike County homeowners who want to stop foreclosure and keep their property choose this option. It requires steady income. Chapter 11 handles business reorganizations. Chapter 12 covers family farmers and fishermen. Pike County has farming operations, so Chapter 12 cases do come through on occasion. Each type is marked in the court records with its own chapter designation.

Pike County State Records and Clerk

The Pike County Superior Court Clerk in Zebulon keeps state-level court records. Civil suits, criminal matters, property deeds, and liens are all filed there. None of these are bankruptcy records. But they can relate to a bankruptcy case. A judgment lien in Pike County might be listed in a federal bankruptcy petition. A deed transfer could stem from a bankruptcy court order involving property in the county.

The GSCCCA website lets you search Pike County state records online. It covers deeds, liens, and other public documents for every county in Georgia. When researching someone in Pike County, use GSCCCA together with PACER to get both the state and federal picture.

Below is the Northern District court homepage where Pike County residents search for bankruptcy records and court information.

The portal links to case search tools, local rules, and fee information that apply to all Pike County cases.

Archived Pike County Filings

Closed cases from the Northern District are transferred to the National Archives and Records Administration over time. To get an archived Pike County case, call the clerk office first. They supply the accession number, box number, and location code. Order from NARA after that. It takes a few weeks to process.

Without the case number, expect the $34.00 search fee. Some older Pike County filings are no longer on PACER and can only be found through NARA.

Nearby Counties

Pike County is south of Atlanta. Its neighbors include counties in both the Northern and Middle Districts of Georgia.