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Filing

File a New Case or Pleadings

You can file your case in one of two ways: electronically using CM/ECF (Case Management / Electronic Case Files) or in person (over the counter) at the courthouse.

The Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts has prepared a series of short videos entitled "Bankruptcy Basics," which provide basic information to debtors, creditors, court personnel, the media, and the general public on different aspects of the federal bankruptcy laws. (The Bankruptcy Basics should not substitute for the advice of competent legal counsel or a financial expert. Neither the Bankruptcy Judges Division nor the Administrative Office of the United States Courts can provide legal or financial advice. Such advice may be obtained from a competent attorney, accountant, or financial adviser.)

Filing Electronically with CM/ECF

If you are an attorney who is admitted to practice in the Southern District of California or a creditor representative, you can file electronically using CM/ECF after completing our CM/ECF training.

Filing without an Attorney (Pro Se)

Individuals can file bankruptcy documents without being represented by an attorney. These individuals are called pro se filers. Click here for the pro se filers' page: Filing without An Attorney.

Electronic Bankruptcy Noticing (EBN)

The court is pleased to offer the availability of Electronic Bankruptcy Noticing (EBN). EBN is a free service that allows court notices to be transmitted electronically, delivering them faster and more conveniently. EBN allows certain computer-generated bankruptcy notices to be delivered overnight to all EBN participants via one of three methods: (a) Electronic Data Interchange (EDI), (b) E-mail, or (c) fax transmittal. These delivery methods provide notices days faster than the U.S. Postal Service and may significantly cut down on the amount of paper in your office! To learn more about Electronic Bankruptcy Noticing, to determine which method is right for you, or to discover how to sign up, visit the official Electronic Bankruptcy Noticing Web site or call toll-free: (877) 837-3424 Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern.

The National Creditor Registration Service (NCRS) is a free service provided by the U.S. Bankruptcy Courts to give creditors the option to specify a preferred U.S. mail, E-mail address, or fax number to which bankruptcy notices should be sent, in accordance with 11 U.S.C. § 342(f). For additional information and forms, visit the NCRS Web site at:

https://bankruptcynotices.uscourts.gov/

Need the Local Rules / Administrative Procedures or the Latest Forms?

Sometimes, it may be confusing as to what the Local Rules state or which Administrative Procedure applies to that local rule. We've minimized the confusion by providing you with the online version of the local rules, which are combined in one file with the Administrative Procedures. You can search and view them or download them to your computer for easier access.

Court forms for the U.S. Bankruptcy Court - Southern District of California are available either individually or as complete sets. Forms can be viewed online as Adobe Acrobat Portable Document Format (PDF) files, or they can be opened in Microsoft Word.

Both PDF and Word files can be downloaded and saved on your computer.