A bankruptcy record begins with a petition filed in federal court. Charleston County cases go to the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of South Carolina, which holds a courtroom in the King and Queen Building on King Street. The clerk keeps the docket, and the docket holds every motion, claim, and order in the case. A discharge or a dismissal ends the matter on the record.
This page explains how to find a case by name or number, how the four main chapters differ, and what each status means. It lists the contact block for the Charleston court and the papers a copy request should name. Later sections cover sealed files, identity checks, and the steps to take when a case does not appear. Call the court before you travel downtown.
Bankruptcy Record Search
Begin with the case number or the debtor name, then confirm the court and the chapter.
- Court search portal and local rules: https://www.scb.uscourts.gov/
- Search by debtor name or by bankruptcy case number.
- Federal dockets sit in PACER, the judiciary’s paid system.
- Charleston court: 145 King Street, Room 225.
- Chapter, filing date, trustee, and judge appear in the header.
- Certified copies come from the clerk, not the website.
Case Chapters, Filings & Status
The chapter decides how a case runs and how it ends. Chapter 7 sells off property and pays creditors from the proceeds, and Chapter 13 sets a payment plan from future income. Chapter 11 covers businesses and larger debts, and Chapter 12 serves farm and fishing operators. Each chapter keeps a docket with the same fields, yet the filing deadlines and the plan rules differ by chapter.
A search box takes a name or a number, and the result list shows the chapter, the filing date, and the current status. A number search returns one case, which saves time when the debtor has a common name. Write the full number, with the division digit and the year, on any request. The clerk can confirm a number that the website will not return.
| Office detail | Verified information |
|---|---|
| Location | U.S. Bankruptcy Court, District of South Carolina, Charleston location, King and Queen Building, 145 King Street, Room 225, Charleston, SC 29401 |
| Contact Number | (803) 765-5436 (court main number) |
| Office Hours | See the court’s official hours and directions |
| Official Website Search Portal | https://www.scb.uscourts.gov/ |
The Charleston courtroom hears matters for the district, yet some filings land in Columbia or Spartanburg. A case number starts with a division digit, and that digit tells you where the file sits. Read the header before you plan a trip. A hearing noticed in Charleston can move to another division when the judge’s calendar changes, and the docket shows the new place. Confirm the room with the clerk before you leave for the hearing.
Chapter 7, 11, 12 & 13 Filings
Chapter 7 is the straight liquidation case, and a trustee sells property that the law does not exempt. Chapter 13 lets a person with regular income pay creditors over three to five years. Chapter 11 is used by companies and by people whose debts exceed the chapter 13 limits. Chapter 12 covers family farms and fishing businesses. The petition names the chapter on its first page.
Petitions, Dockets, Claims & Orders
The voluntary petition opens the case, and schedules list property, debts, income, and expenses. A statement of financial affairs adds payments and transfers from the months before the filing. The clerk opens a claims register, and a creditor files a proof of claim with a deadline. Orders follow motions, and each order carries a date and a signature. Read the docket from the petition forward.
Debtor, Trustee & Presiding Judge
The debtor is the person or company that filed, and the caption shows a name, an address, and the last four digits of a tax number. A trustee is appointed to review the case. A panel trustee handles chapter 7 cases, and a standing trustee handles chapter 13. The presiding judge sits in the district. Read the header for all three names before you quote a case.
Active, Discharged, Dismissed & Closed Status
An open case is active, and papers can still be filed. A discharge ends the debtor’s personal liability for most debts once the judge grants it. A dismissal throws the case out, often for a missed payment or a missing document, and the debtor may file again. A closed case has no more work pending. Status lines sit at the top of the docket and on the case summary page.
| Chapter | Who usually files | How it ends |
|---|---|---|
| Chapter 7 | People with limited income and few assets | Discharge after exempt property is set aside |
| Chapter 11 | Companies and larger debtors | Confirmed plan or conversion |
| Chapter 12 | Family farms and fishing businesses | Plan payments over several years |
| Chapter 13 | People with regular wages | Plan completed, then discharge |
Two cases can carry the same debtor name and still differ in chapter, filing year, and trustee. Check the last four digits of the tax number and the street address before you treat them as one file. A joint petition lists two debtors, and both names sit on the caption. Read the full docket header twice when a surname is common in Charleston County, since a wrong match costs time.
Public Availability & Copy Requests
Federal bankruptcy files are public by default, and the docket is open to any requester. A judge can seal a paper or the whole case, and the law closes some details on every petition. The clerk releases copies at the counter and by mail. Ask what the office can release before you pay, since a sealed paper will not appear in the certified copy set.
Federal Court Docket Search Rules
Bankruptcy sits in federal court, so state open-records rules do not control it. The public reads dockets through the court’s electronic system and through PACER, which charges a fee per page after a small quarterly allowance. A terminal at the courthouse is free. A search by name returns every case that matches, and a search by number returns one. Log out of the terminal when you finish.
Sealed, Restricted & Confidential Files
A judge can seal a document on a motion that states a reason, and a protective order can cover bank statements, medical papers, or a settlement sum. Rule 9037 limits what a filing may show, so a tax number appears with four digits and a birth date appears as a year. A sealed paper may still appear as a docket line. Ask the clerk what a sealed line means.
Court Clerk & Certified Copy Requests
The clerk’s office at 145 King Street takes copy requests at the window and by mail. Give the case number, the title of the paper, and the date it was filed. State whether you need a plain copy or a certified one, since a certification adds a seal and a signature. Photo identification helps at the counter. Staff pull the image and quote the fee before you pay.
Copy Fees & Processing Timelines
The court sets copy fees under a national schedule, and the clerk quotes the sum for your order. A certified copy costs more than a plain page. A short document is often ready the same day at the counter, and a mailed order takes longer. A file stored off site adds days. Ask for a pickup date in writing and keep the receipt with the copies.
| Request item | Why the clerk needs it |
|---|---|
| Case number | Finds the file in the court index |
| Document title | Names the paper to be copied |
| Filing date | Separates papers with similar titles |
| Certification choice | Sets the seal and the fee |
| Photo identification | Confirms the requester at the window |
A plain copy carries the page image and nothing more, and a certified copy carries a clerk’s statement that the image matches the file. Courts, title companies, and lenders often ask for the certified page. Order the certification at the same time as the copy, since a later request means a second trip and a second fee. Store the certified set flat in a folder away from direct light.
Record Accuracy & Resolution
A name search can fail on a maiden name, a suffix, or a misspelling typed at filing. A case number with a wrong division digit points to another court. A recently filed petition may sit in a queue before the docket shows it. Try the name without a middle initial, then try the chapter and the year. The clerk can search an internal index that the public page does not show.
Verifying Debtor Identity & Case Numbers
Match at least two fields before you accept a record as the right one: the street address, the last four digits of the tax number, and the filing date. A common name may return several debtors in the same district. Read the caption and the schedule of creditors for a former address. Ask the clerk to confirm the case number when two cases look alike.
System Delays for Recent Filings
A petition filed late in the day may not appear until the next business day, and a weekend filing waits longer. The docket can show the case before the scanned image loads. Keep the filing date, the chapter, and the attorney’s name. Call the clerk after two business days when the case still does not appear. A stamped petition at the counter proves the filing date.
Unlisted Federal Bankruptcy Resolution
A missing case may sit in another district, under another name, or in a closed file that the search skips. Check the district where the debtor lived before the filing, then check the district where a business operated. Ask the clerk to search by tax number when you have it. Request a written note when no case turns up, since a lender may ask for one.
Frequently Asked Questions
These questions come from the clerk’s window and from callers who cannot find a case. Each answer follows federal practice and the court named on this page. A clerk can confirm a case number, a fee, or a document title, and a lawyer can explain how a rule applies to one file. Fees and office hours change, so call before you travel to King Street.
Are federal bankruptcy records public in South Carolina?
Bankruptcy is a federal matter, so a case filed in any district is public, and only a judge’s seal closes it. A Charleston County debtor files in the District of South Carolina, and that docket stays open to a requester who pays the search fee at the terminal. A copy comes from the court, not from the county. Read the docket before a credit decision.
What details appear in an official discharge document?
A discharge order names the debtor, the case number, the court, and the chapter. It states that the debtor is released from personal liability for the debts listed in the schedules, and it names the debts that the discharge does not cover. The judge signs it, and the clerk stamps the filing date on the first page. A trustee’s final report and a closing order often follow it in the docket.
What is required to request certified bankruptcy copies?
Give the clerk the case number, the title of the paper, and the filing date. Bring photo identification to the window, or send a signed request with a mailing address. Ask for certification, since an uncertified page bears no seal. Staff quote the fee before the copy is made, and payment is due when you place the order. A mailed order takes longer than a counter request.
Who confirms missing or unlisted bankruptcy files?
The clerk of the bankruptcy court confirms whether a case exists in the district. Give the debtor name, the filing year, the chapter, and the last four digits of the tax number. Staff can search by number, by name, and by the attorney who filed. If the case sits in another district, the clerk can name that office. Ask for a written note when nothing turns up at all.