Worth County Bankruptcy Filings

Bankruptcy records in Worth County are part of the federal court system. Sylvester is the county seat, but Worth County's courthouse does not handle bankruptcy cases. The Middle District of Georgia Bankruptcy Court in Macon controls all filings from this area of south-central Georgia. Searching Worth County bankruptcy records is simple once you know where to look. Use PACER for online access, call the free McVCIS line for quick case details, or visit a staffed clerk office. Records are public and the online system stays open around the clock.

Federal Bankruptcy Court for Worth County

Worth County is in the Middle District of Georgia Bankruptcy Court. This district covers 69 counties from the center of the state down through southwest Georgia. The main office is at the Thomas Jefferson Federal Building, 433 Cherry Street, Macon, GA 31201. Phone: 478-752-3506. The Columbus office at One Arsenal Place, 901 Front Avenue, Columbus, GA 31902, is also regularly staffed and can be reached at 706-649-7837.

Hearings for Worth County cases sometimes take place at the Albany or Valdosta offices. Neither location is staffed on a regular basis. They open only for scheduled court proceedings. All filings and mail for Worth County cases should go to the Macon address. The court info page has the latest on which offices are open and when. Chief Judge Austin E. Carter and Clerk Kyle George run the court.

How to Search Worth County Records

PACER is the main search tool for Worth County bankruptcy records. Set up a free account. Search by name or case number. You will see the full docket, all filed documents, case status, and any orders the judge has entered. Each page costs $0.10 to view or download. Documents under 30 pages cap out at $3.00.

The PACER Case Locator is a step above a single-court search. It pulls from every federal court in the country. If a Worth County resident filed bankruptcy in Florida or Alabama, this tool finds it. Save your searches and come back later to check for new results.

Call 1-866-222-8029 for McVCIS. It is free. Pick the Middle District of Georgia. The automated system provides case basics: debtor name, filing date, chapter, case number, judge, trustee, and current status. No charge at all. No registration needed. It works 24 hours a day from any phone.

Note: McVCIS data is general information and is not a substitute for the official court record.

Worth County Bankruptcy Record Costs

PACER charges $0.10 per page online. The public computer terminals at the Macon clerk office are free to use for viewing. Print from those terminals at $0.10 per page. Copies by mail or in person from any staffed Middle District office cost $0.50 per page. Certified copies add $12.00 per document to the copy fee.

When you need the court to run a search and you don't have a case number, that costs $34.00. Fill out Form B1320 and send it with payment to the Macon office. Money orders and certified checks only, made out to "Clerk, U.S. Bankruptcy Court." Cash is accepted at the counter in person.

Bankruptcy Chapters in Worth County

Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 are the two most common filings from Worth County. In Chapter 7, the court may liquidate non-exempt assets and discharge remaining debts. The process moves fast. In Chapter 13, filers keep their property and follow a repayment plan over three to five years. Both types are public record once filed with the court.

Chapter 11 is designed for business reorganization. It is not as common in Worth County but does occur. Chapter 12, written for family farmers and fishermen, applies to agricultural operations that need debt relief. Worth County is heavily agricultural, so Chapter 12 filings turn up here more than they do in metro areas of Georgia. Each chapter is filed through and managed by the same Middle District court in Macon.

Re-filing limits apply across all chapters. After a Chapter 7 discharge, you wait eight years to file Chapter 7 again. A Chapter 7 to Chapter 13 gap is four years. Chapter 13 to Chapter 13 requires two years between filings.

Worth County Filer Exemptions

Georgia filers use state exemptions only. The federal list is not available. O.C.G.A. 44-13-100 lays out what Worth County residents can protect in bankruptcy. The homestead exemption covers $21,500 in equity. A married couple can double that to $43,000 when the property is in one spouse's name. Cars are safe up to $5,000.

Personal property is exempt up to $5,000 total, with no single item exceeding $300 in value. Jewelry is protected up to $500. Tools used in your line of work are shielded up to $1,500. The wildcard of $1,200 applies to any type of property at all. Renters who skip the homestead can add up to $10,000 of unused homestead to the wildcard for $11,200 in total flexible protection.

Workers comp is fully exempt under O.C.G.A. 34-9-84. Social Security, veterans benefits, unemployment, and child support or alimony payments are all protected without a dollar limit. Retirement accounts stay safe. Worth County filers must have been Georgia residents for at least 730 days before the filing date. Recent arrivals may need to apply exemptions from a previous state.

Worth County Clerk and State Records

The Worth County Clerk of Superior Court in Sylvester handles state records. Civil suits, criminal cases, property deeds, and liens are all managed at the county level. These are not bankruptcy records. But they can relate. A deed in Worth County might be an asset in a bankruptcy filing. A lien recorded locally could appear as a claim in the case.

Use the GSCCCA for online access to Worth County state records. This portal covers all Georgia counties and is a good companion to PACER when you want both state and federal filings for the same person or property.

Below is the Middle District of Georgia Bankruptcy Court homepage, the court that handles all Worth County bankruptcy records.

The court's website links to forms, fee schedules, office locations, and PACER access for Worth County case searches.

Archived Worth County Bankruptcy Records

The Middle District sends closed cases to the National Archives and Records Administration after they have been closed for several years. To get copies of an old Worth County case, call the Macon clerk office at 478-752-3506 first. They will provide the accession number, box number, and location code you need to order from NARA. Allow a few weeks for the request to be processed and the documents delivered.

Nearby Counties

Worth County is in south-central Georgia, surrounded by counties that are also part of the Middle District. The same Macon clerk office processes bankruptcy filings for each of these neighboring areas.