Collingsworth County Bankruptcy Records

Collingsworth County bankruptcy records are filed through the Northern District of Texas Bankruptcy Court, Amarillo Division. Cases are submitted in Lubbock and hearings take place in Amarillo. All filings in Collingsworth County go through the federal court system since Texas has no state-level bankruptcy court. You can search cases online through PACER or get free case status by calling VCIS at 866-222-8029. Case records are public and available to anyone under federal law.

Collingsworth County Federal Bankruptcy Court

Collingsworth County falls under the Northern District of Texas Bankruptcy Court, Amarillo Division. Filing is done at the George Mahon Federal Building in Lubbock. Hearings for Amarillo Division cases are held at the J. Marvin Jones Federal Building, 205 Southeast Fifth Avenue, Amarillo, Texas. Collingsworth County is one of the Texas Panhandle counties served by this division.

The Amarillo Division covers a wide stretch of the Panhandle and nearby counties. Being a rural county, Collingsworth has fewer bankruptcy filings than urban areas, but the same federal rules and procedures apply regardless of county size or population. PACER gives you access to all filed records for any case in the system. The VCIS at 866-222-8029 is a free phone shortcut for basic case status at any time of day.

The U.S. Trustee for Collingsworth County operates through Region 6 in Dallas. The Dallas office at 1100 Commerce Street, Room 976, Dallas, TX 75242 handles trustee oversight for the entire Northern District. The office can be reached at (214) 767-8967. The U.S. Trustee assigns case trustees to administer Chapter 7, 12, and 13 cases and monitors all filings for compliance with the Bankruptcy Code.

Searching Collingsworth County Bankruptcy Records

The standard way to find Collingsworth County bankruptcy records is through PACER. Create a free account and search by debtor name, Social Security number, or case number. Most basic lookups are free. Full document access runs a few cents per page. From PACER you can pull petitions, schedules, motion filings, and discharge orders once you have the right case number.

The VCIS at 866-222-8029 is a free option for basic case status. It runs at all hours and requires no account or login. Just enter the debtor's name or case number and the system returns basic case details. This is useful when you only need a quick check and do not need the full file.

Bankruptcy records in Collingsworth County are public under 11 U.S.C. § 107. Most case documents are open to anyone. The court can seal specific papers on a showing of good cause, but this is not common. All documents must follow Fed. R. Bankr. P. 9037, which requires partial redaction of Social Security numbers, bank account numbers, and birth dates from all filed papers.

For pre-electronic cases not in PACER, contact the Northern District clerk's office or submit a request to the National Archives. Older paper records take additional time to locate and retrieve.

The Collingsworth County Government website provides access to county services and property records in Wellington, Texas, which can play a role in bankruptcy cases involving real estate in the county.

The county clerk in Wellington maintains deed records and property filings that bankruptcy trustees may need to review when a case involves real estate assets in Collingsworth County.

Filing Bankruptcy in Collingsworth County

To file for bankruptcy in Collingsworth County, you submit your forms to the Northern District of Texas, Amarillo Division, through the Lubbock filing office. All forms and procedures are listed on the Northern District forms page. You can file by mail or in person at the Lubbock office. The court requires Official Bankruptcy Forms plus several Northern District local procedural forms.

Local rules require specific steps that all filers must follow. You must submit one original and one copy of all forms. Creditors must be listed alphabetically on the matrix. A Verification of Matrix form must be attached as the last page. Self-represented filers must also complete a Pro Se Questionnaire. Not following these rules can cause delays or case rejection.

Filing fees are set by federal statute and apply equally across the district. Chapter 7 is $338. Chapter 13 is $313. Chapter 11 is $1,738. Installment payment plans require at least 50% of the fee within seven days. The court accepts cashier's checks and money orders. Cash acceptance varies by office location.

Individual debtors must complete credit counseling from an approved provider within 180 days before filing. After filing, a debtor education course is required before the court will issue a discharge. Approved agencies are listed at justice.gov/ust.

Collingsworth County Resources

The Collingsworth County Clerk in Wellington maintains deed records, property filings, and official county documents. When a bankruptcy case involves land or real estate in Collingsworth County, these records identify ownership and any prior liens. Debtors must disclose real property on their schedules, and trustees use county records to verify those disclosures.

As a small rural Panhandle county, legal resources in Collingsworth County itself are limited. Residents may need to look to Amarillo or other larger cities for bankruptcy attorneys or legal aid. The State Bar of Texas has a lawyer referral program that can help connect people in rural areas with qualified legal help.

Key resources for Collingsworth County bankruptcy matters:

• Northern District of Texas Bankruptcy Court - Amarillo Division, Lubbock filing office
• PACER - online search for all federal court records
• U.S. Trustee Region 6 - Dallas office
• Collingsworth County Government - property records and county services
• Northern District Local Rules and Forms

Note: Collingsworth County residents file at the Lubbock office but attend hearings in Amarillo. Factor in travel time when planning for your 341 meeting date.

Nearby Counties

Collingsworth County is in the eastern Texas Panhandle near the Oklahoma border, grouped with other Panhandle counties in the Amarillo Division.