A creditor matrix is a list of creditors that contains each creditor's name and mailing address. This information is used for noticing and also for claims information when applicable. The list of creditors is uploaded to case's docket in the electronic CM/ECF system.

The list of creditors must be created in an ASCII file format and saved with the .txt file extension before it can be successfully uploaded to the CM/ECF system.

If you are creating the list of creditors from within a word processor, such as Word or WordPerfect, you must follow these specific directions to save the file as an ASCII text file:

• Using Word: Click on File, then Save As. Change the "Save as Type" to Plain Text or MS-Dos Text. Name the file. Click Save. This procedure will save the file with the filename that you typed, and add a .txt extension to the filename.
• Using WordPerfect: Click on File, then Save As. Change the File Type to ASCII Dos Text. Name the file. Click on Save.

The specifications for creating a List of Creditors are extensive. Be sure to consult the complete instructions for the creating the List of Creditors found in Form CSD 1007.

There are several ways in which to obtain trustee information on a case:

Court Documents

For Chapter 7, 12, or 13 bankruptcy cases, this information can be found on the Notice of Chapter X Bankruptcy Case (where X indicates the bankruptcy chapter number) that is sent when a case commences.

Voice Case Information System (VCIS)

The Voice Case Information System (VCIS) allows callers to access case information from any touch-tone telephone 24 hours a day, seven days a week. There is no charge to use VCIS. Call (866) 222-8029.

Visit or Contact the Clerk's Office

You are welcome to call or to visit Clerk's Office during the court's hours of operation: Monday through Friday from 8:30 am - 4:30 pm, except on federal holidays.

Jacob Weinberger United States Courthouse
325 West F Street
San Diego, California 92101 

 (619) 557-5620

Only attorneys certified by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court - Southern District of California can file electronically using CM/ECF.

To be certified and file documents electronically in CM/ECF, attorneys and their staff must be registered with the court and be trained. To learn more or to register for the court's training, visit our CM/ECF Training & Registration page.

For more information, contact our CM/ECF training Help line: (619) 557-7535.

Voice Case Information System (VCIS)

The Voice Case Information System (VCIS) allows callers to access case information free of charge from any touch-tone telephone 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Voice Case Information System (VCIS): (866) 222-8029

Computer / Internet Access via Public Access to Court Electronic Records (PACER)

Electronic case summaries and docket information may be retrieved using a computer via the Public Access to Court Electronic Records (PACER) system. Please click here for PACER registration information or call (800) 676-6856.

All registered agencies or individuals will be charged $0.10 per page with a maximum charge of $2.40 (with no charge up to the first $10.00 for each calendar year for a registered user). Transcripts of federal court proceedings are not subject to the 30-page fee limit. Scanned images of documents shown on docket entries in cases filed on or after January 1, 1998 also are available through this Web site. However, there may be instances in which not all docket entries will have attached images of documents.

In Person

For more detailed information, bankruptcy documents may be viewed in person or retrieved for copying from the Clerk's Office at which the case was filed. To determine if a case has been archived, contact the Clerk's Office in San Diego: (619) 557-5620. To view or retrieve bankruptcy documents, you must have the bankruptcy case number or debtor's name.

PACER

PACER (Public Access to Court Electronic Records) is a Web-based system that allows users with Internet access and a PACER login to access court records.

Beginning in 1998, dockets may include images of documents filed. These documents may be viewed, downloaded, and printed from your computer.

Copies by Mail

To obtain copies by mail, provide a written request which contains the following:

- Case number

- Debtor’s name

- Precisely which documents are to be copied

Include a $31.00 search fee per item to be searched and a self-addressed, stamped envelope. Payment may be in the form of a bank cashier's check, or a U.S. Postal money order made payable to: Clerk, United States Bankruptcy Court. Personal checks will not be accepted from debtors or debtors in possession.

Upon receipt of request, we will advise you of the number of pages to be copied and the total copy fee; copy fee per page: $0.50. Once the copy fees are received, copies will be made and mailed.

For more information, visit our Records / Case Information page.

When filed in paper, an original and one copy to be conformed are required.

Please refer to this page:  http://www.uscourts.gov/courtrecords/electronic-filing-cmecf/faqs-case-management-electronic-case-files-cmecf

The Clerk's Office is prohibited by federal statute from providing legal advice. If you have any questions on how a bankruptcy filing affects enforcement of an eviction proceeding, please contact your legal advisor.

No. The Judicial Conference has not authorized an additional fee for providing redacted transcripts for the court's electronic records.

Yes, nothing in the new policies restrict counsel, parties, or the public from requesting copies of a transcript from a court reporter or transcriber during or after the 90-calendar day period.

The CM/ECF system:

- Is easy to use

- Is available 24 hours per day, 7 days a week

- Is secure and reliable

- Reduces paper, copying, and mailing costs

- Sends e-mail notification of case activity

It allows:

- Instant filing of documents

- Automatic e-mail confirmation for filers

- Simultaneous access to information by multiple parties

- Viewing, saving, and printing of documents such as docket sheets, claims registers, and reports

With CM/ECF, these are eliminated:

- Copy requests

- Waiting in line or calling to check when an item was docketed

The U.S. Bankruptcy Court - Southern District of California is closed on all federal holidays. Visit the Court Holidays page to see the dates on which the court is closed for the current year.

The CM/ECF electronic filing system requires the following hardware and software:

- A computer running a standard operating system, such as Windows or Mac OS X

- A Web browser. For CM/ECF, the latest versions of Mozilla Firefox or Microsoft Internet Explorer are recommended. (Some users have had positive experiences with other Web browsers, but Firefox and Internet Explorer have been tested and certified for compatibility with CM/ECF.)

- Internet service

- A PDF-compatible word processor, such as Microsoft Word or Corel WordPerfect

- The ability to convert documents from your word-processing format to Portable Document Format (PDF). Word and WordPerfect can convert documents to PDF. Other software products (such as Adobe Acrobat) also can be used.

- The ability to view PDF documents using products such as Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is available for free

- A document scanner, if litigants need to create PDF images of documents they wish to file

For fast and efficient use of CM/ECF, it is critical that your scanning software for documents is correctly configured. The consequence of a poor or incorrect setup is a significantly increased file size that can be up to 20 to 40 times the size of a correctly scanned document. This enlarged file size can cause:

  - Increased file storage requirements at the user's PC (as well at the Bankruptcy Court's server), together with a general slowness in handling these files.

 - Increased network traffic both locally and through the user's Internet Service Provider, resulting in long file-upload times. The communications network may time out if the files exceed the recommended size.

 - A very slow response time from CM/ECF as the user attempts to upload a large file. This may result in file rejection or a delay in obtaining a confirmation of successful receipt.

 - A very slow download and/or file opening when attempting to read large files already uploaded in CM/ECF.

Follow these steps and checks to ensure correct scanner software settings:

 - Resolution should be set to 200 dpi, or a maximum 300 dpi.

 - Image type should be set to black and white drawing (NOT gray scale, NOT color).

 - Scanned image output or "save as" format should be TIF (ideally compressed CCITT4). (Check your scanner software manual for information on how to set output type.)

A simple test scan should be made and the file converted to PDF for CM/ECF upload. This PDF conversion can be done using one of several software packages but a good example is Adobe Acrobat (the full package, not just Adobe Reader). Simply drag the scanned file onto the Acrobat Icon and conversion is automatic. This conversion should not significantly increase the file size.

To verify the file size, locate the file using Windows Explorer. Click on the filename to select it. Right-click the filename and select Properties. The file size will be listed. If your document is mostly text, it should be no larger than approximately 50 KB per page. At most, a very detailed page with graphics should be no larger than approximately 200 KB per page.

PRINT THIS PAGE AND SCAN IT AS A TEST! At 200 dpi this single page scans and converts to a 35 KB PDF file. At 300 dpi this single page scans and converts to a 52 KB PDF file.

A bankruptcy case number consists of the filing year (along with five additional digits), the initials of the judge assigned to the case, and the bankruptcy chapter number. For example, for this case number

16-90131 - LT7

- The number 16 refers to the year 2016

- The number 90131 is a sequential number assigned to the case in the order it was filed

- The letters LT refers to Judge Laura Taylor

- The 7 refers to a Chapter 7 bankruptcy

Other common bankruptcy chapters are 11 and 13.

The other current judges' iniitials are CL (Christopher Latham), and MM (Margaret Mann).

Other judges who have served at the U.S. Bankruptcy Court - Southern District of California were PB (Peter Bowie), JH (John Hargrove), JM (James Meyers) and LA (Louise Adler).

A Notice of Appeal may be filed after an Order or Judgment has been entered in a case. In a Notice of Appeal, the party filing the appeal (the appellant) wishes to reverse the Order or Judgment granted in favor of the other party (the appellee). When an appeal is filed in the Southern District of California, the matter is referred to the Bankruptcy Appellate Panel (BAP).

The filing fee for a Notice of Appeal is $298.00. Under 28 U.S.C. § 158, the circuit court may accept a direct appeal if the appropriate court or party certifies that direct appeal is necessary to resolve a matter of first impression, conflicting decisions, or public importance.

The official Notice of Appeal forms are available on the Court Forms page.

Effective June 1, 2009, the Clerk’s Office will no longer update the List of Creditors (Creditor Matrix)  to add any creditor’s address(es) that are reflected on a proof of claim and are not on the debtor’s mailing matrix (i.e., new, mailing and/or payment addresses). Parties should be aware when noticing to check both the Claims Register and List of Creditors (Creditor Matrix) for all address information.

To make changes to your address or update an existing address on the List of Creditors (Creditor Matrix), please visit our Web site for the appropriate bankruptcy forms. If you have any questions, please contact the court.

A 341(a) meeting is presided over by the trustee assigned to the bankruptcy case and is considered a meeting of creditors. This meeting is held approximately 40 days after the new petition is filed. A debtor is required to appear and testify under oath and to be questioned by the trustee or creditors about his/her assets/liabilities. Failure to appear may result in dismissal of the case. If a continuance or change in the hearing date, time, or location is sought, the trustee assigned to the case must be contacted. Such requests are not filed with the court.

A bankruptcy petition is a document filed by the debtor (in a voluntary case) or by creditors (in an involuntary case) which opens the bankruptcy case. It is required at the time of filing. The form is Official Form B 101: Voluntary Petition. A joint petition is one bankruptcy petition filed by a husband and wife together.

A motion is a written formal statement in which the party who is requesting an action (the movant) sets forth his or her grounds for the action requested. The party against whom the action is requested is the respondent.

Hiring a competent attorney to assist you in your case is highly recommended.

An adversary proceeding is a lawsuit arising in or related to a bankruptcy case, filed by a party called a “plaintiff” against a party called a “defendant.” Adversary proceedings are initiated by filing a document called a “complaint” with the court to resolve both federal and state law issues. Certain types of disputes cannot be handled by motion in the bankruptcy case, but instead require the commencement of an adversary proceeding. Federal Bankruptcy Rule 7001 lists certain types of actions that require an adversary proceeding. Adversary proceedings are governed for the most part by Part VII of the Federal Rules of Bankruptcy Procedure. See also Adversary Proceeding Filing Requirements.

An ex-parte matter is one which requires no notice to other parties. Ex-Parte relief is usually granted only under emergency circumstances, or is limited to setting a hearing with limited notice or sooner than it would ordinarily be heard. See Local Bankruptcy Rules for information regarding motions that do not require notice.

To file an ex-parte matter, the original motion must be filed with the Clerk's Office.

Chapter 7

Often called the "liquidation chapter," Chapter 7 is used by individuals, partnerships, or corporations who have no hope for repairing their financial situation. In Chapter 7, the debtor's estate is liquidated under the rules of the Bankruptcy Code. Liquidation is the process through which the debtor's non-exempt property is sold for cash by a trustee and the cash is distributed to creditors.

Chapter 11

Often called the "reorganization chapter," Chapter 11 allows corporations, partnerships, and individuals to reorganize without having to liquidate all assets. In filing a Chapter 11, the debtor presents a plan to creditors which, if accepted by the creditors and approved by the court, will allow the debtor to reorganize personal, financial, or business affairs and again become a financially productive individual or business.

Chapter 13

An individual with a regular income who is overcome by debts, but believes such debt can be repaid within a reasonable period of time, may file under Chapter 13 of the Bankruptcy Code. Chapter 13 permits the debtor to file a plan in which the debtor agrees to pay a certain percentage of future income to the Bankruptcy Court for payment to creditors. If the court approves the plan, the debtor will be under the court's protection while repaying such debts.

The maximum file size for uploading to CM/ECF is 35 MB.

The U.S. Bankruptcy Court - Southern District of California is located in downtown San Diego at the Jacob Weinberger U.S. Courthouse, 325 West F Street, San Diego, CA 92101. The courthouse is located on the southwest corner of West F Street and Union Street.

You can obtain a copy of the complete set of our Local Rules in Portable Document Format (PDF) by visiting our Rules & Procedures page.

To expedite the handling of complaints of criminal violations in the bankruptcy system, the United States Trustee requires that your complaint be submitted in a signed letter, bearing your return address and telephone number to:

For cases filed in San Diego and Imperial counties, send your letter to:

Office of the United States Trustee
Schwartz Federal Building
880 Front Street, Ste. 3230
San Diego, CA 92101

Upon receipt, your complaint will be reviewed. If the information furnished establishes a reasonable belief that a criminal violation has occurred, the matter will be referred to the United States Attorney. If the United States Attorney deems the matter to hold prosecutorial merit, it will be referred to the appropriate law enforcement agency for investigation.

A clearly written statement containing copies of any available documentation will expedite this process. Submit the following information:

- The bankruptcy case name and file number, together with copies of any pertinent court filings

- A chronological summary of the matter

- A narrative of what occurred

- Names, addresses, and telephone numbers (to the extent available) of the subjects and witnesses known to you

Once a bankruptcy petition is filed, all information submitted regarding the debtor or entity becomes a matter of public record, no matter what the outcome of the case. This information, which is regularly checked by credit companies, may affect the debtor's or entity's credit rating.

Yes, any counsel, party, or member of the public wanting a copy of a transcript during the 90-calendar day period will be able to purchase a copy from the court reporter or transcriber at the rate established by the Judicial Conference.