Monroe County Bankruptcy Records Search

Monroe County bankruptcy records are filed through the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of New York at the Rochester courthouse. Rochester residents and others across Monroe County can search for bankruptcy filings, docket sheets, and discharge orders through PACER or at public terminals in the courthouse at 100 State Street. The Monroe County Clerk at 39 W. Main Street also maintains extensive state court records, land documents, and judgment filings dating back to 1821. This page covers how to find and access Monroe County bankruptcy records from both federal and local sources.

Monroe County Federal Bankruptcy Court

Monroe County falls under the Western District of New York for bankruptcy matters. The Rochester courthouse is at 100 State Street, Rochester, NY 14614. The phone number is 585-613-4200. This is one of two courthouse locations in the Western District. The other is in Buffalo at 2 Niagara Square.

The Western District serves 17 counties in western New York. Monroe County is the most populous of these. Meetings of creditors for Monroe County debtors are held right in Rochester. Public access terminals at the courthouse let you search cases at no cost. The court operates from 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM on weekdays.

Attorneys must file through CM/ECF. Pro se debtors can submit paper petitions at the Rochester courthouse. The Western District handles a significant volume of bankruptcy filings given the Rochester metro area's size.

How to Search Monroe County Bankruptcy Records

PACER is the primary tool for finding Monroe County bankruptcy records online. Sign up for a free account. Search by debtor name, case number, Social Security number, or tax ID. The cost is $0.10 per page, capped at $3.00 per document. Quarterly charges under $30 get waived. Case searches are free.

The PACER Case Locator searches all federal courts at once. Use it if you are not sure which district handled a case. The VCIS phone line at 866-222-8029 provides free case status information 24 hours a day. You can hear the filing date, chapter type, discharge date, trustee name, and attorney name.

For state court records related to a Monroe County bankruptcy case, the eCourts system lets you search civil cases. Supreme Court records in Monroe County are maintained by the County Clerk.

Monroe County Clerk Office and Records

The Monroe County Clerk's Office is at 39 W. Main St, Room 101, Rochester, NY 14614. Call 585-753-1600 or email county.clerk@monroecounty.gov. The County Clerk is Jamie Romeo. Hours are Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. The office is part of the 7th Judicial District.

The Monroe County Clerk wears many hats. The office serves as County Registrar for deeds, mortgages, judgments, and liens. It is Clerk of Supreme and County Courts. It handles passports, pistol permits, assumed business names (DBA), naturalization records dating back to 1821, sporting licenses, and motor vehicle services through four auto license bureaus. Copy fees are $0.65 per page with a minimum of $1.30. Additional fees apply for certified copies.

The Supreme and County Court is at 99 Exchange Blvd, Hall of Justice, 5th Floor, Rochester, NY 14614. The phone there is 585-371-3758. Electronic filing through NYSCEF is available for court cases. These Monroe County state court records frequently relate to bankruptcy matters. Judgments and liens filed with the clerk can appear as claims in a bankruptcy case.

Online Monroe County records are available at monroecounty.gov/clerk-records. The 7th Judicial District includes Monroe, Cayuga, Livingston, Ontario, Seneca, Steuben, Wayne, and Yates counties.

The Monroe County Clerk's Office maintains court records, land documents, and judgment filings relevant to bankruptcy record searches.

The office at 39 W. Main Street in Rochester serves as the central filing point for Supreme and County Court records.

The Monroe County records search portal provides online access to land records and judgment filings that may relate to bankruptcy cases.

Property records, deeds, and lien filings from Monroe County are searchable through this online tool.

Bankruptcy Filing Types in Monroe County

Monroe County sees a significant number of both Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 filings. Chapter 7 is liquidation. A trustee sells non-exempt property to pay creditors. Most cases close in three to six months with a discharge. Monroe County falls in the lower exemption tier, so the homestead exemption under New York law caps at $102,400.

Chapter 13 lets the debtor keep their assets while repaying creditors over three to five years. Rochester area residents often use Chapter 13 to catch up on mortgage payments while getting relief on other debts. The case records include the plan, payment schedule, and modifications.

Chapter 11 filings from Monroe County businesses also go through the Rochester courthouse. These cases involve reorganization plans and creditor negotiations. All filings are public records available through PACER.

Copies of Monroe County Bankruptcy Records

PACER provides the quickest access. Log in and download documents. At the Rochester courthouse, the Clerk's Office makes copies at $0.50 per page. Public terminals let you browse at no charge. Older closed cases may be at the National Archives. NARA costs $90 for full files, $35 for selected documents, and $15 for certification.

Cities in Monroe County

These cities with pages on this site are in Monroe County.

Nearby Counties

Monroe County borders these other Western District counties.