New Orleans Bankruptcy Records

New Orleans bankruptcy records are filed and maintained by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana. The court sits at 500 Poydras Street in downtown New Orleans and handles all Chapter 7, Chapter 11, Chapter 12, and Chapter 13 cases for Orleans Parish and the surrounding area. Most records are public and can be searched online through PACER or accessed in person at the courthouse. This page covers how to find case filings, who to contact, and what fees to expect when you need New Orleans bankruptcy records.

Eastern District Bankruptcy Court in New Orleans

The U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana is the federal court that handles all bankruptcy cases filed by New Orleans residents and businesses. It is part of the federal court system, not the state system. Cases are assigned to federal bankruptcy judges, and the clerk's office maintains all case records.

The courthouse is in the Central Business District. It is open to the public on regular court days. Security screening is required at the entrance. Bring a valid photo ID when you visit.

The clerk's office accepts new filings and handles requests for copies of records. You can call McVCIS at 1-866-222-8029 to hear basic case info by phone at no cost. This works around the clock, not just during business hours.

How to Search New Orleans Bankruptcy Records

Most bankruptcy records in New Orleans are searchable online through PACER, which stands for Public Access to Court Electronic Records. PACER is the federal system used by all U.S. bankruptcy courts. You need a free account to search. Once logged in, you can pull up dockets, petitions, schedules, and orders for cases filed in the Eastern District.

To search on PACER, go to pacer.uscourts.gov and register for an account. There is no cost to sign up. You can then search the Eastern District directly or use the PACER Case Locator at pacer.uscourts.gov/find-a-case to search across all federal courts at once. This is useful if you are not sure which district the case was filed in.

PACER charges $0.10 per page for documents you view or download. The fee is waived if your total charges in a quarter are under $30. Most basic searches cost very little. If you only need to confirm whether someone filed for bankruptcy, a name search costs almost nothing.

You can also search through the Eastern District's own case management system. The court's ECF system at ecf.laeb.uscourts.gov gives access to the same records. Attorneys use ECF to file documents electronically. Members of the public can view filed documents using a PACER login through the same portal.

What New Orleans Bankruptcy Records Contain

A bankruptcy case file in New Orleans contains many documents. The core record is the petition, which lists the debtor's name, address, and the chapter they filed under. Attached schedules list all assets, all debts, income, and monthly expenses. These documents are filed at the start of every case.

As the case moves forward, more documents are added. These include the creditor matrix, which lists everyone owed money. Creditors file proofs of claim to state what they are owed. The trustee files reports. If there is a discharge, the discharge order goes into the file. All of these records are generally public under 11 U.S.C. § 107.

Some parts of a file may be sealed. Social Security numbers and bank account numbers are redacted under Fed. R. Bankr. P. 9037. If a judge seals a specific document, it will not appear in public searches. But the vast majority of case documents are open to anyone.

Bankruptcy Chapters Filed in New Orleans

New Orleans residents and businesses file under several chapters of the federal Bankruptcy Code. The chapter you file under depends on your situation and what outcome you want.

Chapter 7 is the most common type. It is a liquidation bankruptcy. A trustee reviews your assets and may sell non-exempt property to pay creditors. Most people who file Chapter 7 in New Orleans have few non-exempt assets, so the process moves fast. The filing fee is $338 under 28 U.S.C. § 1930.

Chapter 13 lets you keep property while repaying debts over three to five years. You propose a repayment plan, and the court confirms it if it meets legal standards. The filing fee for Chapter 13 is $313. This is a good option if you have a steady income and want to stop a foreclosure.

Chapter 11 is for businesses that want to reorganize. Some individuals with very large debts also use Chapter 11. The filing fee is $1,738. It is the most complex type of bankruptcy. New Orleans has seen major Chapter 11 cases from local businesses and real estate entities over the years.

Chapter 12 is designed for family farmers and fishermen. Louisiana has a significant fishing industry, so Chapter 12 cases do appear in the Eastern District, though they are less common than Chapter 7 or 13 filings.

Getting Copies of New Orleans Bankruptcy Records

You have several ways to get copies of records from the Eastern District. The cheapest option is PACER. You log in, find the case, and download the documents you need. You pay $0.10 per page. Most documents download as PDF files.

If you need paper copies from the clerk's office, the fee is $0.50 per page for plain copies. Certified copies cost $11.00 each. A certified copy has the court's seal and confirms the document is authentic. You may need a certified copy for court proceedings elsewhere or for legal transactions.

A record search by court staff costs $32.00. This is useful if you are not sure of the case number or name spelling and need staff to locate the file. You can avoid this fee by doing your own PACER search. Most people find PACER easier and cheaper for basic searches.

To get copies in person, go to the clerk's office at Suite B-601 of the Poydras Street courthouse during business hours. Staff can help you locate a file and make copies. Bring cash or a check. Call (504) 589-7878 ahead of time to confirm payment methods and what you need to bring.

Orleans Parish and Bankruptcy Filing

New Orleans sits entirely within Orleans Parish. Orleans Parish is one of the parishes served by the Eastern District of Louisiana. When a New Orleans resident files for bankruptcy, the case is assigned to the New Orleans division of the Eastern District. You do not file at the state court. Bankruptcy is a federal matter handled only in federal court.

The Orleans Parish Sheriff's Office and the Civil District Court handle state-level collections and judgments, but they are separate from the bankruptcy process. Once a bankruptcy petition is filed in New Orleans, the automatic stay under 11 U.S.C. § 362 goes into effect. This stops most collection actions, including state court proceedings, until the bankruptcy case is resolved.

For parish-level records related to property, judgments, or other civil matters, you would visit the Orleans Parish Clerk of Court. But for bankruptcy records specifically, all activity runs through the federal Eastern District court at 500 Poydras Street.

Visit the Orleans Parish bankruptcy records page for more on records at the parish level.

eClerks Louisiana and Related Tools

Louisiana offers an additional search tool called eClerks Louisiana at eclerksla.com. This site was set up under La. R.S. 13:754 and launched in 2015. It gives access to records from Louisiana's parish clerks of court, not the federal bankruptcy court. Still, it is useful for finding related state court filings, such as civil judgments or property liens that may connect to a bankruptcy case.

For federal bankruptcy records, PACER remains the primary tool. eClerks is a supplement for state-level research. Used together, these two systems give you a fairly complete picture of a debtor's legal history in New Orleans.

Nearby Cities

Other qualifying cities near New Orleans also fall within the Eastern District of Louisiana.