Bankruptcy is common for individuals and businesses, and it helps to know if these records are available to the public. After all, you may not want to lend money to someone who was recently bankrupt, and it may even be an issue if you plan on getting married or hiring an employee.
So, are bankruptcy filings public record? Ultimately, yes, they tend to be available to the public. Of course, there are exceptions, and finding bankruptcy records can be tricky, so stick around to learn more in our guide.
What is Bankruptcy?
In short, bankruptcy is a legal process carried out by the court system that eliminates someone’s debts or part of them. This process is something that’s carried out by individuals, businesses, and sometimes even the government.
Depending on the organization or individual involved in the bankruptcy and its terms, different chapters of bankruptcy are used.
Types of Bankruptcy
There are several types of bankruptcy, and understanding each type is important. Bankruptcy is split into chapters, and each chapter is unique.
We cover details about the types of each bankruptcy chapter below.
● Chapter 7: Liquidation of assets and debt under the Bankruptcy Code.
● Chapter 9: Municipal bankruptcy that occurs when a municipality is bankrupt.
● Chapter 11: Reorganization under the Bankruptcy Code; this is common for businesses.
● Chapter 12: Farmer and fisherman bankruptcy that has unique traits under the bankruptcy code; some assets may be protected.
● Chapter 15: Cross-border bankruptcy cases.
These are the most common bankruptcy chapter types, and each one has unique codes and laws that must be followed.
Are Bankruptcy Filings Public Record?
Yes, bankruptcy filings are public records. In fact, there aren’t many exceptions. What’s more, these records become available to the public rapidly; you can find them in public records within around 24 hours after they’re submitted.
That said, to view these records, you may need to create a PACER account or leverage third-party tools. Of course, you can also find the records where they were filed.
How to Find Bankruptcy Filings
When it’s time to find bankruptcy filings, you have a few options. There are government tools, like the Public Access to Court Electronic Records (PACER), and there are also third-party options. In fact, search engines may also be able to help.
We cover these options in detail below.
Public Access to Court Electronic Records (PACER)
The PACER system is one of the best ways to find public information about court cases. Because bankruptcy goes through the federal court system, you can use this tool to learn more about the filing. In fact, you can also find the outcome and other detailed records.
That said, PACER can be difficult to navigate if you don’t have the right information. For this reason, we recommend having someone’s first and last name, their state, and additional identifying details.
UnMask
When you want to find public records associated with bankruptcy, UnMask is always a safe choice. UnMask’s public record search tool is simple and easy to use, and it helps you find all available public records associated with someone’s file.
Of course, this includes bankruptcy, but it also covers criminal court cases, other civil issues, and much more. And the best part? All you need to do is enter someone’s first and last name, phone number, or address to begin the search process.
Search Engines
Sometimes, search engines are all you need to find public records, and this applies to bankruptcy. Google, DuckDuckGo, Bing, and other search engines might be able to help you learn more about some bankruptcy cases.
Now, this works well for municipalities and businesses, but it becomes less reliable for individuals. What’s more, you may only get a quick summary of the bankruptcy filing, and not a detailed report. For quick information, give a search engine a shot, but for detailed reports, stick with public record search tools.
Are Bankruptcy Filings Public Record? The Final Answer
So, are bankruptcy filings public record? Overall, yes, bankruptcy filings are public records. These records are almost always available to the public, and the only time this changes is if a case is sealed; this is very rare.
For this reason, if you have the right tools, you shouldn’t have any issues finding bankruptcy filings. That said, we always recommend starting with a public record search tool for the best results.