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Records/Case Information

Records / Case Information

Case Information by Phone
Case information is available through the Court's automated Voice Case Information System (VCIS) at (866) 222-8029 [toll free].  This system is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. A case number, complete name, or a Social Security Number / ITIN is required to obtain case information.

The information available from the automated system is:

  • Case number
  • Name(s) of debtor(s), or principal party(ies)
  • Date the case was filed, whether a voluntary or involuntary petition was filed, and the chapter under which the petition was filed
  • Name and phone number of the debtor’s attorney
  • Trustee's name
  • Name of the assigned judge
  • Discharge and closing dates
  • Whether there are assets in the case
  • Case status
  • Case disposition

Case Information Online
Public Access to Court Electronic Records (PACER) is a Web-based system that allows users with an Internet connection and a PACER account to view or print case documents online. A fee is charged for each viewed page. To sign up for a PACER account, register at https://www.pacer.gov.

Case Information in Person
Most bankruptcy records can be viewed at no charge using the public access terminals at the U.S. Bankruptcy Court - Southern District of California Clerk's Office.

Paper Copies of Bankruptcy Documents
Paper copies of bankruptcy documents can be obtained in person, by mail, or by using Public Access to Court Electronic Records (PACER). To sign up for a PACER account, register at https://www.pacer.gov/.

In order to obtain copies of bankruptcy documents, you must have a bankruptcy case number. Bankruptcy case numbers can be obtained through the Court's automated Voice Case Information System (VCIS) at (866) 222-8029 (toll free) or by calling the Clerk's Office at (619) 557-5620, then pressing 0 for the operator.

Photocopy fees and Search of Court Record fees may apply. Please refer to the Bankruptcy Court Fee Schedule for more information regarding photocopy fees, Search of Court Records fees, and the Court’s Check Acceptance Policy.

Certified Copies of Bankruptcy Documents
Certified copies of bankruptcy documents can be obtained in person or by mail from the divisional office where the case was filed. In order to obtain a certified copy of a bankruptcy document, you must have a bankruptcy case number and the docket number of the document to be certified.

Bankruptcy case numbers can be obtained through the Court's automated Voice Case Information System (VCIS) at (866) 222-8029 (toll free) or from a public access terminal at the U.S. Bankruptcy Court - Southern District of California's Clerk's Office.Docket numbers are located on the official court docket or through the Public Access to Court Electronic Records (PACER). To sign up for a PACER account, register at https://www.pacer.gov.

Photocopy fees and Search of Court Record fees may apply. Please refer to the U.S. Bankruptcy Court - Southern District of California's Fee Schedule for more information regarding photocopy fees, Search of Court Records fees, and the Court’s Check Acceptance Policy.

All requests for certified bankruptcy documents sent by mail must include:

  • Bankruptcy or Adversary Proceeding case number
  • Debtor(s) name
  • Docket number of document(s) to be copied and certified
  • Daytime telephone number of the requesting party
  • A self-addressed, stamped return envelope of proper size and postage for the documents requested

Requesting parties will be contacted by phone once the Bankruptcy Court determines the total fees due.

Archived Case Information
Cases closed for one year or more may be archived at the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) in Perris, California. To determine if a case has been archived, contact the Clerk's Office. For information, visit the NARA website.

To retrieve case information or copies of documents from NARA, the Transfer Number, Location Number, and Box Number first must be obtained from the Clerk's Office where the bankruptcy case was filed. Click here to enter a case number and search for the required information. Contact the Clerk's Office if you need other archive information.

Once the archive information has been obtained, place records requests directly with NARA. Download NARA's NATF Form 90 here.