Virginia Beach Bankruptcy Records
Virginia Beach bankruptcy records are filed with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, Norfolk Division.
Virginia Beach Overview
Virginia Beach Bankruptcy Court
Virginia Beach residents and businesses file bankruptcy in the Eastern District of Virginia, Norfolk Division. The federal courthouse is at 600 Granby Street, 4th Floor, Norfolk, VA 23510. Call (757) 222-7500 to reach the clerk's office. All bankruptcy petition types go through this division: Chapter 7 for liquidation of assets to pay debts, Chapter 13 for a structured repayment plan over three to five years, and Chapter 11 for business reorganization or high-debt individual cases.
Virginia Beach sends a large volume of cases to the Norfolk Division. The Eastern District is known as one of the fastest federal courts in the country, and cases tend to move quickly here. When you file, the court assigns a case number that follows the case through every stage. That number is how you find your records in PACER and track all filings made in the case.
| Court | U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Eastern District of Virginia |
|---|---|
| Division | Norfolk Division |
| Address | 600 Granby Street, 4th Floor, Norfolk, VA 23510 |
| Phone | (757) 222-7500 |
| Website | vaeb.uscourts.gov |
| VCIS Phone | (866) 222-8029, then press 863 for Eastern District |
The Eastern District's local rules, required forms, and filing guides are at vaeb.uscourts.gov. Petition forms, schedules, means test forms, and the statement of financial affairs are all available there at no cost.
Find Virginia Beach Bankruptcy Cases
The best tool for searching Virginia Beach bankruptcy records is PACER. You can search by debtor name, case number, or Social Security number. Results show the entire case docket: all filed documents, creditor lists, hearing dates, and case status. PACER charges $0.10 per page with a $3.00 cap per document. Quarterly charges under $15 are waived entirely, so light research costs nothing.
For a free no-account-needed option, the Voice Case Information System handles basic lookups. Call 1-866-222-8029 and press 863 for the Eastern District. The automated system is available 24 hours a day. It can give you the debtor's name, case number, chapter, filing date, trustee name, 341 meeting date, and current status. It does not provide documents, but it is fast and free for confirming case basics.
For Virginia Beach Circuit Court civil records, the Virginia Courts Case Information system is free and searchable by name, case number, or hearing date. Civil cases from 1992 forward are available there. Virginia Beach also maintains an online FOIA portal at vbgov.com. Requests can be submitted online, by mail, fax, email, or phone.
Note: The Virginia Beach FOIA Officer can be reached at (757) 385-4052. FOIA requests for court records should go directly to the Circuit Court Clerk.
Virginia Beach Circuit Court Records
The Virginia Beach Circuit Court Clerk is Tina E. Sinnen. The office is at the Judicial Center, Building 10B, 2425 Nimmo Parkway, Virginia Beach, VA 23456. Phone: 757-385-4181. Email: tsinnen@vacourts.gov. Fax: 757-385-5686. The Clerk's office handles deeds and land records, marriage licenses, probate records, civil case files, and criminal records. These are state court records separate from the federal bankruptcy system, but they often intersect when researching judgments, liens, or property transfers tied to bankruptcy cases.
Virginia Beach civil case information is searchable for free through the Virginia Judiciary Case Information System. The system shows party names, case status, hearing dates, and filing dates, but does not provide actual documents. For copies, contact the Clerk's office directly or visit in person at 2425 Nimmo Parkway. Standard Virginia copy fees apply: typically $0.50 per page for plain copies and $2.00 per document for certified copies.
The court complex at Nimmo Parkway also houses the General District Court and the Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court. If you have questions about which court handles your matter, call the main Circuit Court number at 757-385-4181.
Bankruptcy Filing Fees in Virginia Beach
Federal bankruptcy filing fees are set by Congress and are uniform across the Eastern District of Virginia. The same amounts apply in Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Chesapeake, and every other city in the district.
Current filing fees are:
- Chapter 7: $338
- Chapter 13: $313
- Chapter 11: $1,738
If you cannot pay the full fee at the time you file, you can ask the court to allow payment in installments. The court may allow up to four payments over 120 days. Individual debtors with income below federal poverty guidelines can apply for a full fee waiver. Fee waiver applications are available at vaeb.uscourts.gov. Businesses and entities do not qualify for waivers and must pay in full at filing.
Beyond the filing fee, you will need to pay for a pre-filing credit counseling course and a post-filing debtor education course, both required by federal law. These run $20 to $50 each through approved providers. Some providers waive or reduce fees for very low income filers. Ask Virginia Legal Aid or the court for a list of approved credit counseling agencies in the Hampton Roads area.
Legal Help for Virginia Beach Residents
Virginia Legal Aid provides free legal services for qualifying low-income residents in the Virginia Beach area. They handle consumer bankruptcy, debt collection defense, and related financial matters. Income limits apply, and you should contact them directly to determine eligibility. Even if you do not qualify for full representation, a brief consultation can help you understand your options under Virginia law.
The Eastern District court at vaeb.uscourts.gov has guides for pro se filers, people who choose to file without an attorney. The court cannot give legal advice, but the written materials explain each step of the process, required forms, and deadlines. Virginia Beach also has private bankruptcy attorneys who offer reduced-fee consultations. The Virginia State Bar's lawyer referral service can help you find one.
Virginia Beach's FOIA requests for city records go to the FOIA Office at 2401 Courthouse Drive, Virginia Beach, VA 23456. Phone: (757) 385-4052. For older bankruptcy cases that predate electronic filing systems, the National Archives at archives.gov/research/court-records holds transferred records. The Philadelphia Federal Records Center handles Virginia bankruptcy courts.
Nearby County Records
Virginia Beach is an independent city and does not belong to any county. Accomack County on the Eastern Shore is accessible by the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel and is also in the Eastern District of Virginia.
Nearby Cities
These cities near Virginia Beach also file bankruptcy in the Eastern District of Virginia, Norfolk Division.