Search Telfair County Bankruptcy Records

Telfair County bankruptcy records belong to the federal court system under the Middle District of Georgia. McRae-Helena is the county seat, but the courthouse there does not store bankruptcy filings. All cases from Telfair County go through the federal bankruptcy court with offices in Macon and Columbus. You can search records online using PACER, call the free McVCIS line, or make the trip to a staffed office. This page covers all the ways to find Telfair County bankruptcy records, the costs involved, and the legal rules that apply to filers in this part of Georgia.

Middle District Court for Telfair County

The Middle District of Georgia Bankruptcy Court handles all Telfair County bankruptcy filings. The main office is at 433 Cherry Street, Macon, GA 31201. Phone is 478-752-3506. Columbus has a second staffed office at 901 Front Avenue, Columbus, GA 31902, phone 706-649-7837. Macon is the closer option for Telfair County.

The court also holds hearings in several other cities, but those offices are only staffed when hearings are scheduled. Chief Judge Austin E. Carter oversees the Middle District. Kyle George is the Clerk. The Macon office is open Monday through Friday and has public terminals where you can view Telfair County records for free.

How to Find Telfair County Bankruptcy Records

PACER is the fastest search method. Signing up takes a few minutes and is free. Once in, select the Middle District of Georgia. Search by debtor name or case number. PACER shows the full docket, every filed document, and the case status. It costs $0.10 per page and runs all day, every day.

When you want to search more broadly, the PACER Case Locator covers every federal court in the nation. Enter a name and it finds matching bankruptcy cases from any district. This saves time when you are not sure where a case was filed.

McVCIS is free and requires no account. Dial 1-866-222-8029. It gives you the debtor name, case number, filing date, chapter type, judge, trustee, and case status. Choose the Middle District of Georgia. The line works 24/7.

Note: McVCIS provides general case info and is not a replacement for official court records.

Telfair County Bankruptcy Fees

Online through PACER, the cost is $0.10 per page. The cap for a single document is $3.00 if 30 pages or less. At the clerk office, public terminals are free to use. Printing costs $0.10 per page.

Copies by mail or at the counter cost $0.50 per page. Certified copies add $12.00 per document. A search without a case number is $34.00. Fill out Form B1320 and send it with payment. Money orders and certified checks are made payable to "Clerk, U.S. Bankruptcy Court." Cash is for in-person payments only.

Georgia Exemptions for Telfair County Filers

Georgia does not use the federal exemption schedule. O.C.G.A. 44-13-100 spells out what Telfair County filers can keep. The homestead exemption is $21,500. A married couple may protect $43,000. The motor vehicle exemption is $5,000. Jewelry gets $500 in protection and tools of the trade are exempt up to $1,500.

The wildcard exemption of $1,200 can apply to any property. Up to $10,000 of unused homestead value can be stacked on top of it. Personal property totaling $5,000 is safe when no single item exceeds $300. Workers' compensation income is fully exempt under O.C.G.A. 34-9-84. Social Security, veterans benefits, unemployment, and retirement accounts are also protected completely. Alimony and child support payments are safe in any Telfair County bankruptcy.

The Middle District court site above manages all Telfair County bankruptcy filings.

Bankruptcy Types Filed in Telfair County

Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 make up most filings. Chapter 7 is liquidation where non-exempt assets get sold. Chapter 13 creates a repayment plan over three to five years. Chapter 11 handles business reorganization. Chapter 12 applies to family farmers and fishermen. Telfair County is largely rural, so Chapter 12 filings can come up.

All chapters fall under Title 11 of the United States Code. Georgia's 730-day residency rule applies. You must live here for two full years before filing to claim state exemptions. Filing intervals are eight years between Chapter 7 cases, four years from Chapter 7 to Chapter 13, and two years between Chapter 13 filings.

Telfair County Clerk and State Records

The Telfair County Superior Court Clerk in McRae-Helena manages state court records. Civil lawsuits, criminal filings, property deeds, and liens are stored there. These are separate from federal bankruptcy records. Still, property deeds or judgment liens from Telfair County can intersect with a bankruptcy case. Looking at both state and federal records helps when real estate or secured debts are involved.

The GSCCCA portal gives you access to deed records and UCC filings from Telfair County and the rest of Georgia. It is a helpful complement to PACER when property questions arise in a bankruptcy case.

Archived Telfair County Cases

Very old cases transfer to the National Archives. Call the Macon clerk at 478-752-3506 for the accession number, location number, and box number you need. NARA handles the order from there. It takes a few weeks. Active and recently closed Telfair County cases stay on PACER.

Nearby Counties

Telfair County is in south-central Georgia. All of its neighbors are part of the Middle District. The Macon office handles bankruptcy records for this whole region.