Vermilion Parish Bankruptcy Records
Vermilion Parish bankruptcy records are federal court documents held by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Louisiana, Lafayette Division. You can search these records online through PACER, by phone using McVCIS, or by contacting the Lafayette courthouse directly to find case filings, creditor lists, and discharge orders for debtors in Vermilion Parish.
Vermilion Parish Quick Facts
Federal Bankruptcy Court Serving Vermilion Parish
Vermilion Parish is under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Western District of Louisiana, Lafayette Division. All bankruptcy petitions from Vermilion Parish residents and businesses go through this court. The Lafayette office is located at 800 Lafayette Street, Suite 1200, Lafayette, LA 70501. You can reach the clerk's office by phone at (337) 262-6800.
The Lafayette Division covers eight south-central Louisiana parishes: Acadia, Evangeline, Iberia, Lafayette, St. Landry, St. Martin, St. Mary, and Vermilion. If you need to file documents in person, or drop off a petition, the Lafayette courthouse is the correct location. The court's website at lawb.uscourts.gov has local rules, fee schedules, and downloadable forms. Attorneys and creditors file electronically through ECF at ecf.lawb.uscourts.gov.
McVCIS, the automated voice system, is available at 1-866-222-8029 around the clock. It lets you look up case information on up to five cases per call at no cost. You need the debtor's name or case number to run a search. This is a quick option if you just want to confirm a case status or filing date without setting up a PACER account.
When you visit the Lafayette Division in person, bring a money order or cashier's check to pay any fees. Personal checks and credit cards are not accepted for filing payments at this location. The court accepts checks from licensed attorneys only in some situations.
The Western District website lists current court hours, judge assignments, and contact info for each division. Check there before you make a trip to confirm office hours and any closures.
Visit the Western District of Louisiana Bankruptcy Court to access local rules, forms, and ECF filing information.
The Western District site provides local rules, a forms library, and electronic filing access for Vermilion Parish bankruptcy cases.
| Address | 800 Lafayette St Suite 1200, Lafayette, LA 70501 |
|---|---|
| Phone | (337) 262-6800 |
| Website | lawb.uscourts.gov |
Vermilion Parish Clerk of Court
The Vermilion Parish Clerk of Court handles state-level civil, criminal, and property records at the parish courthouse in Abbeville. Bankruptcy records are federal and are not stored at the parish clerk's office. The clerk's role in bankruptcy matters is mostly limited to recording liens and judgments that may arise from or affect a bankruptcy case.
Clerk Dianne Meaux Broussard leads the office, with Carlton Campbell serving as Chief Deputy. The office is located at 100 N. State Street, Suite 101, Abbeville, LA 70510-5199. Phone is (337) 898-1992 and fax is (337) 898-4555. The clerk's website is at vermilionclerkofcourt.com, though the site may not always be reachable.
If you come to the Vermilion Parish Clerk's office looking for bankruptcy records, staff can direct you to the Lafayette federal courthouse or to PACER. They can help with related matters, such as locating a mortgage lien or checking if a judgment has been released after a bankruptcy discharge. The clerk also handles civil suit records, which sometimes run alongside a bankruptcy proceeding.
| Clerk | Dianne Meaux Broussard |
|---|---|
| Chief Deputy | Carlton Campbell |
| Address | 100 N. State Street, Suite 101, Abbeville, LA 70510-5199 |
| Phone | (337) 898-1992 |
| Fax | (337) 898-4555 |
| Website | vermilionclerkofcourt.com |
How to Search Vermilion Parish Bankruptcy Records
PACER is the main tool for searching Vermilion Parish bankruptcy records online. You register at pacer.uscourts.gov for free. Once logged in, access the Western District of Louisiana's case management system to search by debtor name, Social Security number (last four digits), or case number. The cost to view or download documents is $0.10 per page, but accounts with less than $30 in quarterly charges are not billed.
The PACER Case Locator searches across all federal districts at once. This is useful if you're not sure which court a person filed in. Select the Western District of Louisiana to narrow results specifically to Vermilion Parish and the other parishes in that district. Search results show case numbers, chapter types, filing dates, and disposition.
For older records that may not be in the electronic system, contact the Lafayette Division directly at (337) 262-6800. Staff can let you know if a case exists in paper form and how to request copies. Certified copy fees are $11.00 per document, plain copies run $0.50 per page, and a clerk-conducted record search costs $32.00.
PACER gives online access to Vermilion Parish bankruptcy case dockets, filed documents, and creditor schedules.
You can also use eClerks LA at eclerksla.com to look up state court records in Vermilion Parish. This covers civil and property records at the state level but does not include federal bankruptcy cases. It can help identify related state judgments or liens that interact with a bankruptcy matter.
What Vermilion Parish Bankruptcy Records Contain
Under 11 U.S.C. § 107, bankruptcy records are public documents. Most case files are open to anyone who wants to view them. A typical Vermilion Parish bankruptcy file includes the petition itself, all schedules of assets and liabilities, a matrix of creditors, any motions filed during the case, notices, and the final order either granting discharge or dismissing the case.
Personal data is partially protected. Fed. R. Bankr. P. 9037 requires filers to redact Social Security numbers to the last four digits, cut financial account numbers to the last four digits, and limit birth dates to year only. Despite these redactions, the core financial and legal content of the file remains accessible to the public through PACER.
Fed. R. Bankr. P. 5003 requires the clerk to maintain a complete docket for each case. The docket is a running list of every event and filing in the case. You can read the docket on PACER to get a quick summary without opening each document. Dockets show dates, filing types, and document numbers.
Discharge orders are some of the most searched-for documents in bankruptcy records. They confirm that specific debts were legally erased. Creditor claim registers show which creditors filed proofs of claim and the amounts involved. Both are useful for lien research, title work, or background checks on Vermilion Parish parties.
Bankruptcy Filing Fees for Vermilion Parish Cases
Federal law sets bankruptcy filing fees under 28 U.S.C. § 1930. These are the same amounts everywhere in the country. Vermilion Parish residents filing at the Lafayette Division pay the following:
- Chapter 7 (liquidation): $338
- Chapter 13 (repayment plan): $313
- Chapter 11 (reorganization): $1,738
- Chapter 12 (family farmer or fisherman): $278
The Lafayette office takes money orders and cashier's checks from individuals. Installment plans are available in some cases for Chapter 7 filers who can't pay the full fee upfront. A fee waiver is also possible for low-income filers. You need to submit a formal application and the judge decides whether to grant it. Not all requests are approved.
Other Resources for Vermilion Parish Residents
The eClerks LA portal at eclerksla.com, created under La. R.S. 13:754, gives access to state court records across Louisiana. This is not a source of federal bankruptcy records but can help you find related state judgments, civil suits, or property liens recorded in Vermilion Parish's state court system. Copy fees through the portal follow standard state rates of $0.50 per page for plain copies and $11.00 for certified documents.
The Louisiana Supreme Court website has a statewide attorney directory if you need legal help with a Vermilion Parish bankruptcy matter. Several nonprofit legal aid groups serve the Lafayette area, which includes Vermilion Parish. These can provide low-cost or free help to those who qualify based on income. Walk-in or phone consultations are sometimes available.
The Louisiana Legislature's website has state codes that can be relevant when a bankruptcy case touches on state property law or exemptions. Federal exemptions and state exemptions can both apply in Louisiana cases, so knowing which statutes are in play matters. The federal bankruptcy code itself is at uscode.house.gov.
Some federal courthouses offer free public access terminals where you can search PACER without charge. Contact the Lafayette Division clerk at (337) 262-6800 to ask if that service is available for walk-in visitors from Vermilion Parish.
Cities in Vermilion Parish
No cities in Vermilion Parish have a dedicated page on this site. The parish seat is Abbeville. Other communities include Kaplan, Gueydan, and Erath. All Vermilion Parish residents file bankruptcy through the Lafayette Division of the Western District of Louisiana.
Nearby Parishes
These parishes share a similar filing process through the Western District of Louisiana or are nearby and may be relevant if you're researching cases in the region.