Find Towns County Bankruptcy Records

Towns County bankruptcy records are handled by the Northern District of Georgia Bankruptcy Court. Hiawassee is the county seat, located in the mountains of northeast Georgia. The local courthouse manages state court records only. It does not keep bankruptcy case files. If you need to search for a bankruptcy filing from Towns County, PACER is the primary online resource. A free phone option exists through McVCIS. The closest staffed court offices are in Gainesville and Atlanta. This page details how to search for, access, and understand Towns County bankruptcy records.

Northern District Court Serving Towns County

The Northern District of Georgia Bankruptcy Court covers Towns County. The Gainesville divisional office at the Sidney O. Smith Federal Building is the nearest staffed location for most Towns County residents. The main office is in Atlanta at the Richard B. Russell Federal Building, 75 Ted Turner Drive SW, Room 1340, Atlanta, GA 30303. Phone is (404) 215-1000.

Towns County is one of the more remote counties in the Northern District. The drive to Gainesville or Atlanta can be significant. That is why PACER is the most practical choice for most searches. Chief Judge Barbara Ellis-Monro leads the Northern District bench. Vania S. Allen is the Clerk. Both the Gainesville and Atlanta offices have public terminals where you can view case files at no cost.

Searching Towns County Bankruptcy Records Online

PACER is the go-to search tool. Registration is free. Once logged in, pick the Northern District of Georgia. Search by debtor name or case number. PACER shows docket sheets, all filed documents, and current case status. The fee is $0.10 per page. It runs all day and night.

The PACER Case Locator lets you search all federal courts at once. This is good when a debtor may have filed in a different state. It pulls results from every bankruptcy court in the country. You can save your searches and bookmark specific cases.

For a free alternative, call McVCIS at 1-866-222-8029. The automated phone system tells you the debtor name, case number, chapter, filing date, judge, trustee, and case status. Pick the Northern District of Georgia. The line works 24 hours a day.

Fees for Towns County Bankruptcy Records

PACER charges $0.10 per page. Documents 30 pages or less top out at $3.00. At the clerk office, public terminals are free to use. Printing is $0.10 per page.

Copies by mail or in person are $0.50 per page. Certified copies add $12.00 each. A search without a case number costs $34.00. Use Form B1320 and submit it with a money order or certified check to the Atlanta or Gainesville office. Make it payable to "Clerk, U.S. Bankruptcy Court." Cash is accepted at the window only.

Note: Given the distance from Hiawassee to the nearest court office, PACER is the most cost-effective way to access Towns County bankruptcy records.

Towns County Exemptions in Bankruptcy

Georgia does not use federal bankruptcy exemptions. Towns County filers must follow O.C.G.A. 44-13-100. The homestead exemption covers $21,500 in equity. Married couples may protect up to $43,000. The vehicle exemption is $5,000. Jewelry is capped at $500. Work tools are safe up to $1,500.

A wildcard of $1,200 applies to any asset, and unused homestead of up to $10,000 can increase it. Personal property is exempt up to $5,000 total with each item at $300 or less. Workers' compensation under O.C.G.A. 34-9-84, Social Security, veterans benefits, unemployment, and retirement accounts are fully protected. Alimony and child support are safe too. Towns County filers need to have lived in Georgia for 730 days before filing to claim these exemptions.

Bankruptcy Filing Types in Towns County

Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 cover most cases. Chapter 7 liquidates non-exempt assets. Chapter 13 sets up a repayment plan over three to five years. Chapter 11 handles business reorganization. Chapter 12 is for family farmers and fishermen. Towns County has rural character, so Chapter 12 filings can appear in the records.

All chapters are governed by Title 11 of the United States Code. Filing limits: eight years between Chapter 7 cases, four years from Chapter 7 to Chapter 13, and two years between Chapter 13 cases. Every filing creates records searchable through PACER.

The Northern District website shown above handles all Towns County bankruptcy case records and filings.

Towns County Clerk and State Records

The Towns County Superior Court Clerk in Hiawassee manages state court records. Civil cases, criminal filings, deeds, and liens are stored there. These are not bankruptcy records. Property transfers and judgment liens from Towns County state court can sometimes tie into a federal bankruptcy case though. Cross-checking both systems is useful when real estate is part of the filing.

The GSCCCA portal provides statewide access to deed records and UCC filings. You can look up Towns County property records there alongside data from every other Georgia county. The Northern District case information page has more details on accessing court records.

Archived Towns County Bankruptcy Cases

Closed cases eventually transfer to the National Archives. Call the Atlanta clerk at (404) 215-1000 for the accession details you need. Once you have the case number, accession number, location number, and box number, NARA handles the rest. It takes several weeks. Active and recent Towns County cases stay on PACER.

Nearby Counties

Towns County is in the northeast corner of Georgia, bordering North Carolina. Its neighbors are all within the Northern District. The Gainesville office is the nearest staffed court location for this mountain region.