Tift County Bankruptcy Records

Tift County bankruptcy records fall under the Middle District of Georgia Bankruptcy Court. Tifton is the county seat. The local courthouse does not keep bankruptcy filings since those records belong to the federal system. When you need to look up a Tift County bankruptcy case, PACER is the fastest online path. You can also get basic details for free through the McVCIS phone system or go to the staffed court offices in Macon or Columbus. This page lays out how to search Tift County bankruptcy records, what fees apply, the Georgia exemptions that protect certain assets, and the rules around filing.

Middle District Court Serving Tift County

The Middle District of Georgia Bankruptcy Court handles every bankruptcy filing from Tift County. The Macon office is at 433 Cherry Street, Macon, GA 31201. Phone is 478-752-3506. Columbus has a staffed office at 901 Front Avenue, Columbus, GA 31902, phone 706-649-7837.

The Middle District also holds hearings in Valdosta, which is south of Tifton. The Valdosta office is at the U.S. Courthouse, 401 N. Patterson Street. Keep in mind that Valdosta is only staffed when hearings are scheduled. It is not a full-service records office. For copy requests and records searches, Macon is the primary contact. Chief Judge Austin E. Carter and Clerk Kyle George oversee the Middle District.

How to Search Tift County Bankruptcy Records

Start at PACER. Signing up is free. Choose the Middle District of Georgia and enter a debtor name or case number. PACER returns the full docket, all documents, and the current status of the case. The fee is $0.10 per page. It is available 24 hours a day, every day.

The PACER Case Locator takes a wider approach. It searches every federal court at once. Use it when you know a person's name but not which district they filed in. It covers bankruptcy courts across all 50 states.

For free info, call McVCIS at 1-866-222-8029. You get the debtor name, case number, chapter, filing date, judge, trustee, and case status through an automated system. Pick the Middle District of Georgia. It runs around the clock.

Tift County Bankruptcy Record Fees

PACER is $0.10 per page. Documents capped at $3.00 when 30 pages or under. Viewing at public terminals in the Macon or Columbus office costs nothing. Printing at those terminals is $0.10 per page.

Mail or in-person copies cost $0.50 per page. Certified copies add $12.00 each. The court charges $34.00 to search for a case when you don't have the number. Submit Form B1320 with a money order or certified check payable to "Clerk, U.S. Bankruptcy Court." Walk-in cash payments are accepted at the Macon and Columbus offices.

Note: Most standard Tift County bankruptcy documents fall under the $3.00 PACER cap.

Tift County Exemptions Under Georgia Law

Georgia uses its own exemptions, not the federal ones. O.C.G.A. 44-13-100 lists what Tift County filers can protect. The homestead exemption is $21,500. Married couples may get up to $43,000 protection under the right conditions. Vehicle equity is safe up to $5,000. Jewelry is capped at $500. Tools of the trade are exempt up to $1,500.

The wildcard exemption of $1,200 applies to any asset. It can be boosted by up to $10,000 of unused homestead. Personal property under $5,000 total is protected when each item is $300 or less. Workers' compensation is fully exempt under O.C.G.A. 34-9-84. Social Security, veterans benefits, unemployment pay, retirement accounts, and alimony are also fully protected in Tift County bankruptcy filings.

The Middle District court website shown above manages all Tift County bankruptcy case filings and records.

Types of Bankruptcy in Tift County

Chapter 7 liquidation is the most common filing type. The trustee sells non-exempt assets and distributes the money to creditors. Many cases end as no-asset filings. Chapter 13 lets the debtor keep their property while making payments over three to five years.

Chapter 11 is for businesses reorganizing their debt. Chapter 12 covers family farmers and fishermen. Tift County has a large agricultural sector. Chapter 12 cases do show up in the records here. All chapters fall under Title 11 of the United States Code. The residency requirement is 730 days in Georgia. Filing gaps: eight years between Chapter 7 filings, four years from Chapter 7 to Chapter 13, and two years between Chapter 13 cases.

Tift County Clerk and State Records

The Tift County Superior Court Clerk in Tifton maintains civil cases, criminal records, deeds, and liens. These are state-level records only. Bankruptcy files are not among them. But property deeds and judgment liens from Tift County can relate to a federal bankruptcy case. Reviewing both the state and federal records gives a broader view.

Use the GSCCCA statewide system to search deed records and UCC filings from Tift County. It is a reliable source for property-related data that may tie into a bankruptcy filing.

Archived Tift County Cases

Old closed cases go to the National Archives. Call the Macon office at 478-752-3506 to get the accession details you need to request copies from NARA. The process takes several weeks. Active and recent Tift County bankruptcy cases are still on PACER.

Nearby Counties

Tift County is in south-central Georgia. All surrounding counties are covered by the Middle District. The Valdosta hearing office is nearby for court appearances, though Macon remains the go-to for full records access.