St. Charles Parish Bankruptcy Records
St. Charles Parish bankruptcy records are part of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court system for the Eastern District of Louisiana. Cases filed by residents and businesses in the parish go through the New Orleans federal courthouse, and the public can access those records through online tools, by phone, or by visiting the court directly. This page covers the main sources for finding and reviewing St. Charles Parish bankruptcy filings.
St. Charles Parish Quick Facts
Federal Bankruptcy Court for St. Charles Parish
The U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana handles all federal bankruptcy cases from St. Charles Parish. The courthouse is at 500 Poydras Street, Suite B-601, New Orleans, LA 70130. The phone is (504) 589-7878. Court hours run Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. St. Charles Parish is one of thirteen parishes in the Eastern District, along with Jefferson, Orleans, Lafourche, Plaquemines, St. Bernard, St. James, St. John the Baptist, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, Terrebonne, Washington, and Assumption.
The court handles all bankruptcy chapter types. Chapter 7 is the most common. It is a liquidation process that can discharge most unsecured debts in three to five months. Chapter 13 lets individuals with regular income set up a repayment plan over three to five years. Chapter 11 is used for businesses and high-debt individuals. Chapter 12 covers family farmers and commercial fishermen. All cases filed by St. Charles Parish debtors go into the Eastern District docket, regardless of which chapter they file under.
| Address | 500 Poydras Street, Suite B-601, New Orleans, LA 70130 |
|---|---|
| Phone | (504) 589-7878 |
| Website | laeb.uscourts.gov |
| ECF Filing | ecf.laeb.uscourts.gov |
| McVCIS | 1-866-222-8029 |
The Eastern District court site provides local rules, downloadable forms, ECF access, and links to PACER for St. Charles Parish case searches.
PACER: Public Access to Court Records
PACER is the main tool for searching federal bankruptcy records. All St. Charles Parish cases filed in the Eastern District are indexed there. Registration is free at pacer.uscourts.gov. Use the PACER Case Locator to search by debtor name, case number, or last four digits of a Social Security number. Filter results to the Eastern District of Louisiana to narrow things down.
Viewing documents costs $0.10 per page. Quarterly bills under $30 are waived, so most casual searches cost nothing. A basic docket review, checking a discharge date, or reading the petition usually falls well under that limit. If you need many documents from a large Chapter 11 case, the costs can go higher.
For a faster, phone-based option, call McVCIS at 1-866-222-8029. The line runs 24 hours a day and is free. You can get case status, filing date, and discharge information for a St. Charles Parish case without a PACER account. It is a good first step before logging in to pull a full docket.
St. Charles Parish Clerk of Court
The St. Charles Parish Clerk of Court in Hahnville handles local civil, property, and probate records. This office does not maintain federal bankruptcy files. But if you need to check for local judgment liens, mortgage records, or civil suits tied to a debtor in St. Charles Parish, the clerk's office has those records. Checking both sources gives the most complete picture of someone's legal and financial situation.
Visit the St. Charles Parish Clerk of Court
The parish clerk's site provides access to local civil and property records that may be relevant when researching bankruptcy filings in St. Charles Parish.
| Clerk | Lance Marino |
|---|---|
| Chief Deputy | Brian Fabre |
| Address | 15045 River Road, Hahnville, LA 70057 |
| Mailing | P.O. Box 424, Hahnville, LA 70057 |
| Phone | (985) 783-6632 |
| Fax | (985) 783-2005 |
| Website | scpclerkofcourt.com |
Under La. R.S. 13:754, Louisiana created the eClerks system in 2014, with the eClerks LA portal going live in 2015. This statewide online system lets you search civil and property records from St. Charles Parish and other parishes through one interface. It is separate from the federal PACER system but can help you find state court filings that relate to a bankruptcy case.
What St. Charles Parish Bankruptcy Records Contain
Each bankruptcy case starts with a petition. The petition names the debtor, states the case type, and sets off the court process. Attached schedules break down every asset the debtor owns and every debt owed. The statement of financial affairs covers recent financial history, including income, recent payments to creditors, and any prior lawsuits. All of this is public information under 11 U.S.C. § 107.
As the case proceeds, the docket grows. Creditors file proofs of claim. The trustee holds a 341 meeting of creditors. Motions may be filed to lift the automatic stay, challenge exemptions, or modify a Chapter 13 plan. Every step gets a docket entry, and PACER shows the full timeline. The final step for most cases is a discharge order, which releases the debtor from personal liability on eligible debts.
Some data is kept private. Full Social Security numbers are cut from public filings. Bank account numbers beyond the last four digits are removed. Names of minor children do not appear. These protections apply automatically under Fed. R. Bankr. P. 9037. The rest of the case file is open to the public.
Copies from the courthouse run $0.50 per page for plain copies and $11.00 for certified copies. A formal record search costs $32.00. Request copies by visiting the New Orleans courthouse in person or by mailing a written request with payment to the clerk's office at 500 Poydras Street, Suite B-601, New Orleans, LA 70130.
Filing Fees and Automatic Stay
Filing fees are set by 28 U.S.C. § 1930. Chapter 7 costs $338. Chapter 13 is $313. Chapter 11 runs $1,738. Chapter 12 is $278. Debtors who cannot pay the fee all at once can ask to pay in installments. In some Chapter 7 cases, the court can waive the fee for debtors whose income falls below a threshold based on the federal poverty level.
When a bankruptcy is filed, an automatic stay takes effect. The stay halts foreclosures, wage garnishments, repossessions, and collection calls. For St. Charles Parish homeowners facing foreclosure, filing Chapter 13 can stop the process immediately and give time to catch up on mortgage arrears through the plan. The stay applies from the moment the petition is filed, before any court hearing takes place.
The court clerk's office handles document maintenance under Fed. R. Bankr. P. 5003. PACER provides public access to the records that result. Both tools together give a complete view of any bankruptcy case from St. Charles Parish.
Cities in St. Charles Parish
St. Charles Parish includes communities such as Luling, Boutte, Ama, and Des Allemands. None of these cities have a dedicated page on this site. Hahnville is the parish seat. All St. Charles Parish residents and businesses file bankruptcy cases with the Eastern District court in New Orleans regardless of which community they live in.
Nearby Parishes
St. Charles Parish borders several other parishes, all served by the Eastern District of Louisiana bankruptcy court.