Search Arlington Bankruptcy Records
Arlington bankruptcy records are filed with the Northern District of Texas Bankruptcy Court, Fort Worth Division, at 501 W. 10th St. in Fort Worth. Arlington is in Tarrant County, and all bankruptcy cases for the city go through this federal court. You can search Arlington bankruptcy filings through PACER online, by phone through the clerk's office, or in person at the Fort Worth courthouse. This guide covers how to find records, how the filing process works, and what local resources are available.
Arlington Overview
Arlington Federal Bankruptcy Court
Arlington is served by the Northern District of Texas Bankruptcy Court, Fort Worth Division. This court handles all bankruptcy cases for Arlington and the rest of Tarrant County. The Fort Worth courthouse is located at the Eldon B. Mahon U.S. Courthouse, a short drive from Arlington. Most Arlington residents and businesses file their cases there. Phone: (817) 850-6601.
| Court | U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Northern District of Texas |
|---|---|
| Division | Fort Worth Division |
| Address | 501 W. 10th St. Fort Worth, TX 76102-3643 |
| Phone | (817) 850-6601 |
| Website | txnb.uscourts.gov |
The Northern District of Texas is one of the busiest federal districts in the country. The Fort Worth Division handles Tarrant County cases, while Dallas handles cases from Dallas County. The U.S. Trustee Region 6 office in Dallas oversees bankruptcy administration for the Northern and Eastern Districts of Texas, including all Fort Worth Division cases. Trustees from the Region 6 roster are assigned to administer Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 cases filed in Arlington.
The clerk's office at the Fort Worth courthouse accepts in-person filings. Call (817) 850-6601 before visiting to confirm current hours and any local requirements. Attorneys file electronically through the court's electronic filing system. If you are a pro se filer without an attorney, you can submit your petition and schedules at the clerk's counter.
How to Search Arlington Bankruptcy Records
PACER is the standard tool for searching Arlington bankruptcy records. PACER (Public Access to Court Electronic Records) is a federal system that gives public access to case files and dockets from all federal bankruptcy courts, including the Northern District of Texas. Sign up for a free account at pacer.uscourts.gov. Searches cost $0.10 per page, but accounts spending less than $30 in a calendar quarter owe nothing.
Once logged in, select the Northern District of Texas and search by party name or case number. You can pull up the full docket for any case, see all filed documents, find the creditor matrix, and check whether the case is still active or was discharged. The PACER Case Locator is useful if you need to search across multiple districts at once, say if a debtor may have filed in a different Texas district.
For a quick status check without logging in, call the clerk's office at (817) 850-6601. They can give you basic case information over the phone. If a Voice Case Information System is available on that line, follow the automated prompts to get filing date, chapter type, and case status by touch-tone phone.
You can visit the Fort Worth courthouse in person to use public terminals at no charge. Bring the debtor's full name or a case number to make the search faster. Staff at the clerk's counter can help you locate a case and can make document copies for a per-page fee. The City of Arlington website holds municipal records that sometimes appear in bankruptcy cases involving local property or city tax debts.
The City of Arlington official website provides access to municipal records, property information, and city services relevant to Arlington bankruptcy cases involving local real estate or tax issues.
Arlington municipal records and property data can be relevant in bankruptcy cases where local real estate, city tax liens, or city-related debts are listed in the filing.
Filing Bankruptcy in Arlington
Arlington residents and businesses file bankruptcy in the Fort Worth Division of the Northern District of Texas. The three most common chapters are Chapter 7, Chapter 13, and Chapter 11. Chapter 7 is a liquidation case where a trustee reviews your assets and discharges most unsecured debts after non-exempt property is sold. Chapter 13 is a reorganization plan that lets you keep assets and repay debts over three to five years. Chapter 11 is typically for businesses that need to restructure their debt while continuing operations.
Filing requires a petition plus detailed schedules covering your assets, debts, income, and expenses. Under 11 U.S.C. § 521, all schedules and statements are required. Before filing, you must complete an approved credit counseling course within 180 days. After you file, a debtor education course is required before your case can close with a discharge.
Filing fees are set by federal schedule. Chapter 7 is $338. Chapter 13 is $313. Chapter 11 is $1,738. You can ask the court to let you pay in installments or to waive the fee if you cannot pay. The court takes cashier's checks and money orders made out to "Clerk, U.S. Bankruptcy Court." The Northern District court website has local rules, required forms, and step-by-step filing instructions for both represented and pro se filers.
Note: Local rules for the Northern District of Texas add requirements beyond standard federal rules and apply to every case filed in the Fort Worth Division.
Arlington Bankruptcy Resources
If you need legal help with a bankruptcy case in Arlington, the Tarrant County Bar Association has a lawyer referral service that can connect you with a local bankruptcy attorney. The State Bar of Texas also maintains a referral system at texasbar.com where you can search for licensed attorneys by practice area and city.
Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas covers Tarrant County and can provide free civil legal assistance to qualifying low-income residents. Contact them to see if you are eligible. They may be able to help you understand bankruptcy options or guide you to the right resources.
The Tarrant County Clerk maintains property and deed records for Arlington and all of Tarrant County. These records come up often in bankruptcy cases that involve real estate, mortgage debt, or property liens. The county clerk can verify ownership, confirm lien status, and pull recorded documents for properties in the county.
Under 11 U.S.C. § 107, bankruptcy records are public. The full case file is available through PACER or at the courthouse. Personal data like full Social Security numbers is protected, but most case documents are open to anyone who wants to look.
Arlington Is in Tarrant County
Arlington is located in Tarrant County. All bankruptcy cases for Arlington go through the federal Fort Worth Division court, but county-level property records, deeds, and local court filings are maintained by Tarrant County. The Tarrant County page has more detail on county-level records and the local court structure.
Nearby Cities
Other major Texas cities also served by federal bankruptcy courts:
- Fort Worth - Northern District, Fort Worth Division
- Dallas - Northern District, Dallas Division
- Irving - Northern District, Dallas Division
- Grand Prairie - Northern District, Dallas Division