Access Yuma Bankruptcy Records

Bankruptcy records for Yuma residents are maintained by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Arizona. Yuma is one of only three Arizona cities with a bankruptcy court office. The other two are Phoenix and Tucson. This local office at 98 West 1st Street makes court access much easier for Yuma area residents. You can file papers and attend hearings right in town. The office sits on the 2nd floor of the John M. Roll U.S. Courthouse. One important note: the Yuma office does not accept payments. You must pay fees through Phoenix, Tucson, or the Pay.gov website. Online searches through PACER work 24 hours a day. Fees are $0.10 per page with a $3.00 document cap. Quarterly charges under $30 get waived automatically.

Yuma Bankruptcy Court Office

The U.S. Bankruptcy Court has an office in Yuma at the John M. Roll U.S. Courthouse. The address is 98 West 1st Street, 2nd Floor, Yuma, AZ 85364. This is one of only three court offices in the entire state. Having a local office is a big advantage for Yuma residents. You do not have to drive to Phoenix or Tucson for basic court business.

Call the Yuma office at 928-261-4500 for questions. Hours are 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. Staff can help you file papers, check case status, and answer questions about Yuma bankruptcy procedures. The office holds hearings and 341 meetings. This saves residents a long trip to other courts.

One major limit applies. The Yuma office does not accept payments. You cannot pay filing fees or other charges there. Pay online through Pay.gov instead. You can also mail payment to Phoenix or Tucson. Plan for this when you file. Do not show up in Yuma expecting to pay in person.

Note: Bring photo ID for courthouse security screening when visiting the Yuma office.

Search Yuma Bankruptcy Records Online

PACER lets you search Yuma bankruptcy records from any computer. The system works 24 hours a day. You can view dockets and download documents. This is useful even with a local court office. Not everything requires an in-person visit.

Create a free account at pacer.uscourts.gov to start. Once logged in, go to ecf.azb.uscourts.gov for Arizona cases. Enter a name, case number, or last four of a Social Security number. Search results show all matching Yuma bankruptcy filings. Click a case to see the full docket. Each document links to a PDF.

The Yuma court location page on the official website provides details about the local office including address, phone, and services available.

PACER fees are $0.10 per page. Each document caps at $3.00. Quarterly fees under $30 get waived. Most casual searchers pay nothing.

How to File Yuma Bankruptcy Cases

Credit counseling comes first. Federal law requires it before you can file. Take a course from an approved agency. Most are online and take about an hour. You get a certificate at the end. Include this with your filing papers. The court rejects cases without it.

The paperwork involves many forms. A petition starts the case. Schedules list your assets and debts. One schedule covers real estate. Another shows personal property. More schedules break down debts by type. The statement of financial affairs asks about income history, bank accounts, and recent transactions. All Yuma bankruptcy filings use standard federal forms from the court website.

File papers at the Yuma clerk's office during business hours. You can also file online through CM/ECF if registered. Remember that you cannot pay fees in Yuma. Use Pay.gov or send payment to Phoenix. Filing fees depend on the chapter. Chapter 7 costs $338. Chapter 13 costs $313. Ask about installment payments or fee waivers if you cannot afford the full amount.

After filing, the automatic stay starts. This stops most collection efforts. Creditors cannot call or sue you. Wage garnishments pause. A trustee gets assigned. You attend a 341 meeting where the trustee asks about your finances. This meeting happens at the Yuma courthouse, which is very convenient for local residents.

Legal Help for Yuma Bankruptcy

Yuma County has fewer legal aid options than the Phoenix metro area. Community Legal Services serves some southwest Arizona residents. Call 800-852-9075 for information. They help low-income people with civil legal matters. Income limits apply for free services.

The court Self-Help Center in Phoenix has volunteer attorneys. Call 602-682-4007 for hours. They answer questions about forms and procedures. Phone help may be possible for Yuma residents. They cannot represent you but can guide you through the process.

The Bankruptcy Help Line at 866-553-0893 gives free general info in English and Spanish. This serves all Arizona. It explains the basic process before you file. The Electronic Self-Representation (eSR) tool on the court website walks you through Chapter 7 filing step by step.

Yuma has a majority Hispanic population. The court and legal aid services offer Spanish language assistance. Ask about bilingual help when you call.

What Yuma Bankruptcy Records Contain

Each case file has many documents. The petition starts the file. It names the debtor and shows the chapter filed. Schedules A through J list property, debts, income, and living expenses in detail. The statement of financial affairs covers recent financial history.

More papers get added over time. Creditors file proofs of claim. The debtor may amend schedules if circumstances change. The trustee files reports. The court enters orders on motions. At the end, a discharge order releases the debtor from certain debts. This discharge order is what people often want when searching Yuma bankruptcy records.

Some information stays hidden. Social Security numbers are cut from public view. Bank account numbers do not appear. Sealed records require court permission. Most Yuma bankruptcy cases are fully public under federal law. Anyone can search them without stating a reason.

Yuma Bankruptcy Record Fees

PACER charges $0.10 per page viewed. Each document caps at $3.00 no matter the length. Quarterly fees under $30 get waived. Most light users pay nothing at all.

Paper copies at the clerk's office cost $0.50 per page. Certified copies run $12.00 each. Mail requests add a $34.00 search fee per name. Pay by money order or cashier's check payable to U.S. Bankruptcy Court. You can pay online through Pay.gov. Remember, the Yuma office cannot accept payments of any kind.

Filing for bankruptcy has separate fees. Chapter 7 costs $338. Chapter 13 costs $313. Chapter 11 is higher. Installment plans and fee waivers exist for those who cannot pay. The court decides based on income.

Nearby Cities for Bankruptcy Records

Phoenix is about 180 miles northeast. It has the main bankruptcy court office. Tucson is roughly 240 miles east. It has the second largest court office. Casa Grande sits between Yuma and Tucson in Pinal County.

Lake Havasu City is about 150 miles north in Mohave County. Goodyear and Buckeye are on the west side of Phoenix. Glendale and Peoria are in the northwest Phoenix area. All Arizona bankruptcy records go into the same federal system. A PACER search covers everything at once.

Yuma County Bankruptcy Information

Yuma city is the county seat of Yuma County. The county has about 204,000 people. It sits in the far southwest corner of Arizona along the California and Mexico borders. Yuma County is Arizona's largest majority-Hispanic county. This affects language needs for court services.

Having a local bankruptcy court office is unusual for a county this size. Phoenix and Tucson are the only other locations with offices. This makes Yuma a regional hub for western Arizona bankruptcy matters. Residents of La Paz County to the north sometimes use the Yuma office for filings.

The Yuma County government website provides local services. Property records, tax info, and other documents are available. The county does not handle bankruptcy. All bankruptcy goes through federal court. But county records can help document assets for a filing.

Note: Even with a local office, the payment restriction means you need to plan ahead when filing in Yuma.