Find Troup County Bankruptcy Records

Troup County bankruptcy records are held by the federal court system, not the local courthouse in LaGrange. The Northern District of Georgia handles all bankruptcy filings for Troup County residents and businesses. Whether you need to pull a case file, look up a docket, or get copies of court documents, the search starts with the federal system. This guide walks through each way to access Troup County bankruptcy records, from free phone lookups to the full online PACER database. You can search from home or visit a court office in person.

Troup County Federal Bankruptcy Court

The Northern District of Georgia Bankruptcy Court covers Troup County along with 45 other counties in the northern part of the state. The main courthouse is the Richard B. Russell Federal Building at 75 Ted Turner Drive SW, Room 1340, Atlanta, GA 30303. Phone number is (404) 215-1000. For people in LaGrange and surrounding Troup County towns, the Newnan divisional office at P.O. Box 2328, Newnan, GA 30264 may be closer. Call (678) 423-3000 to reach that office.

Every bankruptcy petition filed by a Troup County resident goes through this court. The clerk staff at either office can look up cases, accept new filings, and hand out copies of court documents. Walk-in service is available during regular business hours, Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM.

How to Search Troup County Bankruptcy Records

The fastest way to search is through PACER. This is the federal courts' online records system. Registration is free. Once logged in, you can search by name, case number, or Social Security number. All Troup County bankruptcy filings are in the system. You get access to every document: the petition, schedules, motions, orders, and the final discharge. Searches cost $0.10 per page.

The PACER Case Locator is useful when you do not know which court handled a filing. It searches all federal courts at once. Type in a name and see results from across the country. This catches cases where a Troup County resident filed in a different state.

A free option is McVCIS. Call 1-866-222-8029. The system runs 24 hours a day and gives basic case details. Pick the Northern District of Georgia when asked. You can search by name or case number. The system reads back the filing date, chapter type, judge, attorney, trustee, and case status. It will not give you documents, but it confirms whether a case exists.

You can also go to the clerk's office in person. Public computer terminals let you view docket information at no charge. Printing is $0.10 per page if you need a paper copy.

Troup County Bankruptcy Filing Fees

Getting records from a Troup County bankruptcy case comes with set costs. PACER charges $0.10 per page for any search or document you pull up. If you walk into the clerk's office and use the public terminals, viewing is free but printing costs $0.10 per page.

• Mail or in-person copy requests: $0.50 per page
• Certified copies: $12.00 extra per document
• Record search without a case number: $34.00 using Form B1320
• McVCIS phone lookup: Free
• Public terminal viewing: Free

Payments go to "Clerk, U.S. Bankruptcy Court." The court takes money orders, certified checks, and cash for in-person visits. Personal checks are only accepted from pro se filers.

Bankruptcy Types in Troup County

Most Troup County residents who file bankruptcy choose Chapter 7 or Chapter 13. These are the two most common types by far.

Chapter 7 is liquidation. A court-appointed trustee reviews the filer's assets and sells anything that is not protected by exemptions. The money goes to creditors. Many Chapter 7 cases in Troup County are "no asset" cases, meaning the filer has nothing of value to sell. The whole process takes about three to four months from filing to discharge. All documents from the case become part of the public record and can be searched through PACER or at the clerk's office.

Chapter 13 lets a person keep their property while paying back debts over three to five years. This is popular with Troup County homeowners trying to stop a foreclosure. The debtor proposes a repayment plan, and if the court approves it, they make monthly payments to a trustee. The trustee sends the money to creditors. Chapter 11 covers business reorganizations. Chapter 12 is for family farmers. All of these filings create records you can access.

Georgia Exemptions for Troup County Cases

Georgia does not use the federal bankruptcy exemptions. Filers in Troup County must use state exemptions under O.C.G.A. 44-13-100. The homestead exemption protects up to $21,500 in home equity. A married couple filing jointly can protect $43,000 if the home is in one spouse's name only. The motor vehicle exemption is $5,000. Tools of trade get $1,500. Jewelry is capped at $500.

The wildcard exemption adds $1,200, plus up to $10,000 of unused homestead value. Some income is fully exempt with no dollar limit. That includes Social Security, veterans benefits, workers' compensation under O.C.G.A. 34-9-84, unemployment benefits, and alimony. Retirement accounts like 401(k) plans and IRAs are also protected. These exemptions shape what creditors can and cannot reach in a Troup County bankruptcy case.

Note: Filers must have lived in Georgia at least 730 days before filing to use these state exemptions.

Filing Limits and Rules

Federal law limits how often a person can file bankruptcy. If someone in Troup County received a Chapter 7 discharge, they must wait eight years before filing Chapter 7 again. The wait is four years between a Chapter 7 and a Chapter 13 filing. Between two Chapter 13 cases, the gap is two years. These time frames run from the date of filing, not the date of discharge.

The bankruptcy code under 11 U.S.C. sets these rules for every court in the country, including the Northern District that serves Troup County. Knowing these limits helps when reviewing someone's filing history or when checking if a past case might affect a current matter.

Troup County State Court Records

The Superior Court Clerk in LaGrange handles state court records for Troup County. That office deals with civil lawsuits, criminal cases, real estate deeds, and lien filings. Bankruptcy is not part of their work. But state records can overlap with bankruptcy matters. For example, a lien filed at the county level might show up in a bankruptcy case as a claim against the debtor's property.

The Georgia Superior Court Clerks' Cooperative Authority provides a statewide search tool for these state-level records. Cross-checking GSCCCA data with federal bankruptcy filings gives a fuller picture when property or debt issues span both systems. For archived bankruptcy cases that are no longer on PACER, contact the clerk for help locating the file through the National Archives.

Nearby Counties

Troup County is on the west side of Georgia near the Alabama border. Several neighboring counties also fall under the Northern District for bankruptcy filings. Coweta and Carroll Counties are to the north, while Harris County is to the south.