Find Bankruptcy Records in King William County

King William County bankruptcy records are maintained by the Eastern District of Virginia Bankruptcy Court, Richmond Division, and are available to the public through PACER and a free automated phone line. This page walks you through how to search case filings, what fees apply, how the local circuit court fits into the picture, and what legal resources are available to King William County residents dealing with bankruptcy.

King William County Bankruptcy Court

King William County falls under the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, Richmond Division. All bankruptcy filings from this county go to the federal court located at 701 East Broad Street, Suite 4000, Richmond, VA 23219. The phone number is (804) 916-2400. This is a federal court, not a county court, so the records are maintained by the federal court system and accessed through federal tools like PACER.

The Eastern District handles Chapter 7, Chapter 13, and Chapter 11 bankruptcy cases. King William County residents and businesses file here, and their cases get a unique case number and a public docket. Those dockets list every document filed in the case, from the initial petition to the final discharge order. All of it is searchable through PACER or the free VCIS phone system.

King William Circuit Court Clerk

The King William County Circuit Court Clerk's office is at 351 Courthouse Lane, Suite 130, King William, VA 23086. The mailing address is P.O. Box 216, King William, VA 23086, and the phone is (804) 769-4936. Office hours run Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The clerk serves as the elected custodian of all court records and serves an eight-year term. The 9th Judicial Circuit covers King William County, with the Honorable B. Elliott Bondurant as circuit judge.

The clerk's land records division records deeds, deeds of trust, assignments, certificates of satisfaction, and plats. The office also dockets judgments and files UCC statements. E-recording is accepted through Simplifile (800-460-5657) and CSC (866-652-0111). For in-person searches, the public records room is open during business hours. The Virginia Judicial System's free case search at eapps.courts.state.va.us covers state court records for King William County.

King William County also participates in the VADeed Alert program, a free service that sends email notifications when documents matching a property owner's name or parcel ID are recorded. Property owners can sign up at risweb.vacourts.gov/VADeedAlert. This is separate from bankruptcy records but useful for anyone monitoring their property.

Searching King William Bankruptcy Records

PACER is the main tool for searching federal bankruptcy records tied to King William County. Register at pacer.uscourts.gov to get access. The service charges $0.10 per page for documents, but if you keep your charges under $15 in a quarter, the fees are waived. Most people doing a few name searches or pulling one docket end up paying nothing.

Once you have a PACER account, you can search by debtor name, case number, attorney, or the last four digits of a Social Security number. Results show the case number, chapter type, date filed, judge assigned, and current status. You can pull the full docket sheet to see every document in the case. Individual filings, like the petition or discharge order, can be downloaded for $0.10 per page up to a $3.00 cap per document.

The free alternative is the VCIS automated phone line. Call 1-866-222-8029 and press 863 for the Eastern District. This system is available around the clock. You can check case status, confirm a discharge date, or look up hearing information using a case number or debtor name. No account is needed and there is no charge.

Note: PACER records generally go back to about 2003. For older King William County bankruptcy cases, contact the Richmond Division directly or check the National Archives.

Bankruptcy Filing Fees

Filing fees for bankruptcy in the Eastern District of Virginia are set by federal law. The fees are the same no matter which county in the district you live in. Chapter 7 costs $338. Chapter 13 costs $313. Chapter 11 costs $1,738. These amounts do not vary by county or division and are paid directly to the federal court.

Fee waivers are available for Chapter 7 filers. If your household income is below the federal poverty guidelines threshold, you can request a waiver at the time of filing. The waiver application is part of the standard filing packet. The court reviews your income information and decides if you qualify. There is no separate fee to apply for the waiver.

Forms are at vaeb.uscourts.gov/bankruptcy-forms. The court uses national forms plus any local forms specific to the Eastern District. Reviewing the local rules before filing helps you avoid common errors that can delay or dismiss your case.

Legal Resources in King William County

Virginia Legal Aid offers free legal help to residents who qualify based on income. Check their website at valegalaid.org to see if you qualify and to learn how to apply. Bankruptcy matters involving low-income individuals may be covered. It is worth calling even if you are not sure you meet the requirements.

Bankruptcy attorneys who practice in the Richmond area handle King William County cases regularly. Most offer a free initial consultation. You can search for attorneys through the Virginia State Bar's referral service. The King William Circuit Court Clerk's Office cannot give legal advice. Staff can help with procedural questions but cannot tell you what chapter to file or how to handle a creditor dispute.

The Eastern District's website has some self-help resources for people who want to file without an attorney. This is called filing pro se. It works best for straightforward Chapter 7 cases with no real property disputes or complicated debt situations. More complex cases are harder to manage alone.

Constitutional offices in King William County, including the Circuit Court Clerk, handle their own FOIA requests for records in their custody. If you need state court records related to a bankruptcy case, such as civil judgments, you can submit a FOIA request to the clerk's office directly.

Nearby Counties

These counties border or are near King William County. All are also in the Eastern District of Virginia Bankruptcy Court.