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Case Information

The Court’s case files are maintained electronically and are available through the Public Access to Court Electronic Records (PACER) service. There are several ways to obtain copies of documents.

Locate Records Using PACER

Visit the PACER website (https://www.pacer.uscourts.gov) for information on how to register for PACER and the fees for downloading court documents. 

Locate Electronic Records at the Clerk’s Office

Utilize the Public Terminals

You can print electronic bankruptcy case records from the Southern District of Ohio from the computer terminals available in the Clerk’s Office in each courthouse location. Note that the Clerk's Office does not accept cash payments. Review the Court's payment options.

Request Copies Online

The Clerk's Office can provide copies of case documents for cases filed after December 1, 2003, upon request. The request can be submitted electronically here. The Clerk's Office will e-mail copies of the documents to you upon receipt of the request and any required fees.

Obtain Copies from the National Archives Federal Records Center (FRC)

Obtain Directly From FRC

Paper records of older cases may be available in some instances. (There is no guarantee that those records have been retained, and records may have been destroyed in accordance with approved disposition schedules.) Copies of older cases may be requested directly from the FRC. More information about ordering copies can be found on the FRC website.

Records of historical value are designated “Permanent” and held at the National Archives at Kansas City. More information about ordering copies can be found on the National Archives website.

Ask the Clerk’s Office for Help

The Clerk’s Office can also retrieve a case for you from the FRC.  The Clerk’s Office will require an additional retrieval fee that must be paid before the record is requested from the FRC.  You are responsible for confirming which case should be retrieved in the event that there are multiple cases with the same debtor name.  

Retrieved cases will remain at the Clerk’s Office for 10 business days after receipt from the FRC and then will be returned to the FRC. You may review the file at the office that retrieved it. Please see the fee information page for information about copy costs and certification fees.   

Locate Information Using the Multi-Court Voice Case Information System (McVCIS)

McVCIS is an automated telephone system that provides free, on demand, basic case information.  You may call 866-222-8029 to access the most frequently requested information about filed bankruptcy cases.  

Use the prompts to navigate to the State of Ohio and then the Southern District. Case information can be retrieved by case number, party name, or debtor’s social security number.  Simply follow the prompts offered in the recording to access the following:

  • Case number
  • Name(s) of debtor(s) or principal party(ies)
  • Date of filing 
  • Whether a voluntary or involuntary petition was filed
  • Chapter filed
  • Trustee’s name 
  • Name and phone number of the debtor’s attorney
  • Judge’s name
  • Nature of the case (consumer or commercial)
  • Whether there are assets in the case 
  • Discharge and closing dates
  • Case status 
  • 341(a) meeting date, time, and location
  • Case disposition