Find Vigo County Bankruptcy Records

Vigo County bankruptcy records are managed by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Indiana. Terre Haute is the county seat and the largest city in western Indiana. While Terre Haute has a designated federal court office, that location is currently unstaffed. All mail and filings for the Terre Haute division are routed to the Evansville courthouse. You can search Vigo County bankruptcy records online through PACER, by phone, or at the Evansville or Indianapolis offices in person. This page covers each method and the costs involved.

Search Vigo County Bankruptcy Filings

PACER is the most reliable way to search Vigo County bankruptcy records. The federal database covers all bankruptcy courts. You can look up cases by debtor name or case number. Documents cost $0.10 per page with a $3.00 cap per document. Quarterly fees under $30 are waived. Registration is free. The system runs around the clock, so you can search at any time.

The McVCIS phone line at (866) 222-8029 gives free case data. The automated system covers Vigo County bankruptcy filings in the Southern District. It reads out the case number, debtor name, filing date, chapter type, and status. No account or login is needed. This is a fast way to check if a filing exists without going online.

In-person searches are more complicated for Vigo County. The Terre Haute court office is part of the Southern District of Indiana, but it is not staffed. You cannot walk in for a records search there. Instead, visit the Evansville courthouse or the Indianapolis office. Both have public terminals for free bankruptcy record searches. Clerk staff can help pull files and make copies.

Note: The Terre Haute federal court office is unstaffed. All mail, filings, and record requests for the Terre Haute division must be sent to the Evansville courthouse.

Vigo County Federal Court Details

The U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Indiana handles all Vigo County bankruptcy cases. The Southern District has offices in Indianapolis, Evansville, New Albany, and Terre Haute. The Terre Haute office at 901 Wabash Ave technically serves Vigo County, but it is not staffed for public access. All filings and correspondence must go to the Evansville courthouse at 101 NW Martin Luther King Jr Blvd.

The Vigo County Clerk at 33 S 3rd St in Terre Haute handles state court records. Call (812) 462-3211 for questions about civil, criminal, or family cases. Bankruptcy records are not stored at the county level. They are federal documents. Under 11 U.S.C. Section 107, all bankruptcy case files are public and open to anyone who wants to look them up.

Online Tools for Vigo County Records

PACER stores all Vigo County bankruptcy filings. The mycase.in.gov portal stores Indiana state court records. These are two separate systems. Bankruptcy records only appear on PACER. State court matters like civil judgments, criminal cases, and family law filings show up on mycase.in.gov.

When researching a Vigo County resident, searching both systems gives you the full picture. A state court collection case or judgment might lead to a bankruptcy filing. But the databases do not cross-reference. You need to search each one separately by name or case number.

The Indiana Courts Directory can help you find contact information for courts across the state. It includes phone numbers and addresses for both the state courts in Vigo County and the nearest staffed federal offices.

Bankruptcy Case Types in Vigo County

Chapter 7 is the most common filing in Vigo County. It liquidates non-exempt assets and discharges remaining debt. The fee is $338. Under 11 U.S.C. Section 109, filers must pass a means test comparing their income to Indiana's median. Most Chapter 7 cases close in three to four months. Vigo County has a sizable population, so the court sees a steady stream of Chapter 7 filings.

Chapter 13 creates a repayment plan running three to five years. The filing fee is $313. Vigo County residents who want to save a home from foreclosure or a car from repossession often choose this path. The debtor keeps their property and pays creditors from future income. The court approves the plan and a trustee manages the payments.

Chapter 11 covers business reorganizations at $1,738. Chapter 12 applies to family farmers at $278. Both are less common in Vigo County but still produce searchable bankruptcy records. Under 11 U.S.C. Section 523, certain debts survive a discharge. Child support, most tax obligations, and student loans cannot be eliminated through any bankruptcy chapter.

Get Copies of Vigo County Filings

PACER charges $0.10 per page for copies. Certified copies from the clerk cost $11 per document plus $0.50 for each extra page. Exemplified copies are $22 per document with the same per-page surcharge. Audio recordings of hearings cost $2.40. These are standard fees across the Southern District.

Since the Terre Haute office is unstaffed, you cannot pick up copies there. Mail requests for Vigo County bankruptcy records should go to the Evansville courthouse. Include the case number or debtor name and a check for the correct amount. The clerk will process your request and mail copies back to you.

Older Vigo County bankruptcy records may have been moved to the National Archives. Cases filed before the mid-2000s were sometimes kept on paper only. If PACER does not have the record you need, contact the Evansville clerk for help. They can check archived files. Under 11 U.S.C. Section 362, the automatic stay that takes effect when a case is filed is one of the most commonly searched items in any bankruptcy record.

Vigo County Court Resources

The Indiana State Library has research tools for historical court records. Staff can help with finding older Vigo County bankruptcy case files that may have been archived or transferred over the years.

For state court matters in Vigo County, the mycase.in.gov system is the best starting point. It shows civil judgments, collections, and related cases. While it does not include bankruptcy filings, the information there can connect to or explain activity in a related federal bankruptcy case.

Cities in Vigo County

Vigo County is home to Terre Haute, the largest city in western Indiana. All Vigo County residents file bankruptcy through the Southern District. Remember that the Terre Haute federal office is unstaffed, so filings go to Evansville. The county clerk at 33 S 3rd St handles state court records only.

Other communities in Vigo County include West Terre Haute, Seelyville, and Riley. All file bankruptcy through the same Southern District federal court, with mail and filings directed to the Evansville office.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Vigo County. They fall under either the Northern or Southern District of Indiana for bankruptcy cases.