Access Midland County Bankruptcy Records
Midland County bankruptcy records are filed through the Western District of Texas Bankruptcy Court, Midland Division. The Midland-Odessa Division is unstaffed on-site and is administered through the Austin and San Antonio clerk's offices. If you need to find a bankruptcy case in Midland County, you can search through PACER under the Western District of Texas. You can also reach the Austin Division clerk's office at (512) 916-5237 for case information. The county seat is Midland, and the Midland County Clerk holds local property and deed records that often come up in bankruptcy proceedings.
Midland County Overview
Midland County Federal Bankruptcy Court
Midland County is served by the Western District of Texas Bankruptcy Court, Midland Division. The Midland-Odessa Division does not have a staffed local courthouse. Court administration is handled through the Austin and San Antonio clerk's offices. For case inquiries, the Austin Division clerk's office can be reached at (512) 916-5237. All Western District cases, including those from Midland County, use the same PACER system for online record access.
Midland County filers use the same three chapter options as elsewhere in the Western District. Chapter 7 is a liquidation process that discharges most eligible debt after non-exempt assets are reviewed. Chapter 13 sets up a repayment plan over three to five years and lets the filer keep property. Chapter 11 is primarily used by businesses. Although the Midland Division lacks an on-site staffed clerk's office, the case filing and management process works the same as in other Western District divisions.
| Court | U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Western District of Texas |
|---|---|
| Division | Midland Division (Midland-Odessa) |
| Admin Office | Austin Division - 903 San Jacinto Blvd., Austin, TX 78701 |
| Phone | (512) 916-5237 |
| Website | txwb.uscourts.gov |
The U.S. Trustee for Midland County cases is the San Antonio field office at 615 E. Houston Street, Suite 533, San Antonio, TX 78205. This office monitors case administration, reviews debtor filings, and maintains the approved list of credit counseling and debtor education providers for Western District filers in the Midland region.
Search Midland County Bankruptcy Filings
The primary way to find Midland County bankruptcy records is through PACER. Select the Western District of Texas when you search. Create a free account and search by debtor name, case number, or other identifiers. Basic case data is often free. Full documents cost a small per-page fee. PACER covers both open and closed cases across several years of electronic filings.
Because the Midland Division is not staffed on-site, all in-person inquiries and paper filings go through the Austin or San Antonio division offices. The Austin Division at 903 San Jacinto Blvd. handles many Midland area matters. Call ahead to confirm current procedures before making a trip to the clerk's office.
Midland County bankruptcy filings are public under 11 U.S.C. § 107. Sealed records are uncommon and require a specific court order. Under Fed. R. Bankr. P. 9037, all documents filed with the court must partially redact Social Security numbers, financial account numbers, and birth dates to protect personal information.
The Midland County Government website provides access to property and deed records maintained by the County Clerk. These local records are useful in bankruptcy proceedings when trustees or creditors need to verify real estate holdings in Midland County.
The Midland County Government site gives access to property records and county clerk services in Midland, which are frequently used in Western District bankruptcy cases to confirm asset ownership and lien history.
Property records held by the Midland County Clerk are regularly consulted by bankruptcy trustees to identify real estate included in the bankruptcy estate for cases filed in the Western District's Midland Division.
Filing Bankruptcy in Midland County
Bankruptcy petitions for Midland County are filed with the Western District of Texas. The court's local rules and forms page lists all required documents. Because the Midland Division lacks a local staffed office, filers should contact the Austin Division at (512) 916-5237 to confirm current filing instructions and the best way to submit documents for Midland County cases.
The Western District requires a Pro Se Questionnaire and a verified creditor matrix at the time of initial filing. Attorneys file electronically through CM/ECF. Pro se filers typically work through the Austin or San Antonio clerk's offices. Have your full creditor list ready, verified for accuracy, before you file. Missing items can cause delays or dismissal.
Standard federal filing fees apply. Chapter 7 costs $338. Chapter 13 costs $313. Chapter 11 costs $1,738. If you are below 150% of the federal poverty line, you may apply for a fee waiver when you file your petition. The court reviews the application and decides whether to approve a waiver or an installment payment plan.
Credit counseling from an approved agency is required within 180 days before filing. After filing, debtors must complete a debtor education course before receiving a discharge. Approved providers are on the U.S. Trustee website.
Note: Since the Midland Division is administered remotely, confirm the current filing address and procedure with the Austin Division clerk's office before submitting any documents.
Midland County Resources
The Midland County Clerk at the Midland courthouse maintains property records, deed filings, tax records, and other official documents. These are regularly used in bankruptcy cases to confirm what real estate a debtor owns in Midland County. The county government website at co.midland.tx.us provides online access to several county services.
The Federal Judicial Center publishes filing statistics and case outcome data for the Western District of Texas. This is useful for attorneys and researchers tracking bankruptcy trends in the Midland-Odessa area.
Key resources for Midland County bankruptcy matters:
- Western District of Texas Bankruptcy Court - case filing and docket access
- PACER - search federal court records online
- U.S. Trustee - San Antonio Field Office
- Midland County Government - property records and county services
- Western District Local Rules and Forms
Nearby Counties
Several counties near Midland also file bankruptcy cases in the Western District of Texas. If you are researching a case from the Permian Basin area, these counties are covered by the same federal court system.