Beaumont Bankruptcy Records
Beaumont bankruptcy records are filed with the Eastern District of Texas Bankruptcy Court, Beaumont Division, located at 300 Willow Street, Suite 104 in downtown Beaumont. The court serves Jefferson County and five surrounding counties in Southeast Texas. You can search Beaumont bankruptcy cases online through PACER, get basic case data by phone for free, or visit the Beaumont clerk's office in person. This guide covers how to find records, how to file, and what local resources are available.
Beaumont Overview
Beaumont Federal Bankruptcy Court
Beaumont is home to one of the division offices of the Eastern District of Texas Bankruptcy Court. The Beaumont Division serves Jefferson County along with Hardin, Jasper, Liberty, Newton, and Orange counties. Hearings for Beaumont and Lufkin Division cases are conducted in Beaumont or Lufkin depending on the case. The Deputy-in-Charge for the Beaumont office is Mona Doyle, reachable at (409) 654-7064.
| Court | U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Eastern District of Texas |
|---|---|
| Division | Beaumont Division |
| Address | 300 Willow St., Suite 104 Beaumont, TX 77701 |
| Phone | (409) 654-7060 |
| Website | txeb.uscourts.gov |
Judge Joshua P. Searcy presides over cases in the Beaumont and Lufkin Divisions, as well as the Marshall and Tyler Divisions. Hearings for Beaumont cases are held in Beaumont or Lufkin. Parties wanting to appear by phone must contact the courtroom deputy at CRD_BMT@txeb.uscourts.gov or call Shannon Britten at (409) 654-7070 at least 48 hours before the hearing.
The U.S. Trustee for Beaumont cases operates through the Tyler field office at 110 N. College Avenue, Room 300, Tyler, TX 75702, phone (903) 590-1450. The Tyler office serves the Eastern District and handles trustee appointments and case oversight for Beaumont filers. The U.S. Trustee Program maintains a full list of regional contacts on its website.
Search Beaumont Bankruptcy Records
Use PACER to search Beaumont bankruptcy cases online. PACER is the federal court's public access system and holds records from the Eastern District of Texas and all other federal bankruptcy courts. Registration is free. The fee is $0.10 per page, and users who owe under $30 in a quarter are not charged. You search by name, case number, or the last four digits of a Social Security number.
Once you pull up a case in PACER, you can view the full docket, download filed documents, see who the creditors are, and check the current case status. If the case is old enough that it is not in the electronic system, you may need to contact the clerk's office directly. Older cases may be stored at the National Archives in Fort Worth.
For a quick free lookup, call the court at (409) 654-7060 and ask about the Voice Case Information System. It runs 24 hours a day and gives you basic case data by phone including filing date, chapter type, and hearing schedule. No login needed.
You can also walk into the Beaumont clerk's office at 300 Willow Street. Public terminals are available in the lobby for free. Staff can help you locate a case. Copies cost a small per-page fee. Bring the full name or case number to make the search faster.
The City of Beaumont official website provides access to municipal records, city services, and local resources that may be relevant when researching a Beaumont bankruptcy case involving city property or permits.
Beaumont is the county seat of Jefferson County and the largest city in the Beaumont-Port Arthur metro area. Municipal records held by the city can come up in bankruptcy cases involving local real estate or business debts.
Filing Bankruptcy in Beaumont
Beaumont residents and businesses file under federal law in the Eastern District of Texas. The three most used types are Chapter 7, Chapter 13, and Chapter 11. Chapter 7 lets you eliminate most unsecured debts after a trustee reviews your assets and pays creditors what is available. Chapter 13 is a repayment plan where you keep your property and make monthly payments over three to five years. Chapter 11 is mainly for businesses that want to reorganize and keep operating while working out a debt repayment plan with creditors.
All individual filers must complete credit counseling from an approved provider within 180 days before filing. Under 11 U.S.C. § 521, you must file complete schedules of assets, liabilities, income, and expenses with the petition. After filing, you must complete a debtor education course before the court issues a discharge. Both courses must be from U.S. Trustee-approved providers.
Filing fees are set by Congress and do not vary by court. Chapter 7 is $338, Chapter 13 is $313, and Chapter 11 is $1,738. You can ask the court for a fee waiver if paying would cause financial hardship, or request installments. The clerk accepts cashier's checks and money orders made out to "Clerk, U.S. Bankruptcy Court."
The Eastern District court website has local rules, forms, and filing instructions specific to the Beaumont Division. Local rules add requirements on top of the standard federal Bankruptcy Rules. Filers must comply with both. The court also posts updates to procedures and local forms as they happen.
As of June 16, 2025, the Eastern District of Texas uses Cisco Webex for video and teleconference hearings. Any party wanting to appear by phone at an in-person hearing must make arrangements with the Beaumont courtroom deputy at least 48 hours in advance.
Beaumont Bankruptcy Resources
Jefferson County property and deed records are kept by the Jefferson County Clerk at the Beaumont courthouse. The county clerk maintains records that often come up in bankruptcy cases involving real estate, liens, and business filings in the Beaumont area. You can reach the clerk's office through the county government website for property lookup and document requests.
Legal aid for qualifying low-income residents in the Beaumont area may be available through Southeast Texas legal services organizations. The U.S. Trustee Program website lists approved credit counseling and debtor education providers for use in Eastern District cases. These providers are required before you can file or receive a discharge.
The City of Beaumont website provides access to city services, permits, and property information. While bankruptcy itself is a federal matter, city records can be relevant in cases involving local property or municipal debts.
Under 11 U.S.C. § 107, bankruptcy records are public. Anyone can access them through PACER or at the courthouse. Certain personal data such as full Social Security numbers is sealed, but the case file and docket are open to the public.
Note: Beaumont bankruptcy cases are federal matters handled exclusively by the Eastern District of Texas Bankruptcy Court, Beaumont Division at 300 Willow Street.
Beaumont Is in Jefferson County
Beaumont is the county seat of Jefferson County. All bankruptcy filings for Beaumont go through the federal court at 300 Willow Street. County-level records for property, deeds, and local court cases are held by Jefferson County. The Jefferson County page has more detail on local court structure and records available at the county level.
Nearby Cities
Other Texas cities also served by the Eastern District of Texas Bankruptcy Court: