Ontario County Bankruptcy Records
Ontario County bankruptcy records are filed with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of New York. The Rochester office handles cases from Ontario County residents and businesses. You can search for these records through PACER online or visit the Rochester courthouse at 100 State Street for free terminal access. The Ontario County Clerk in Canandaigua also keeps land records and civil court documents that may be tied to a bankruptcy case. Below you will find everything you need to search, find, and get copies of Ontario County bankruptcy records.
Ontario County Bankruptcy Records Overview
Ontario County Bankruptcy Filing Location
Ontario County bankruptcy cases go to the Western District of New York Bankruptcy Court. The Rochester office at 100 State Street, Rochester, NY 14614 handles most Ontario County filings. Call 585-613-4200 for the Clerk's Office. The court is open Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM.
The Western District covers 17 counties in the western part of the state. Both the Rochester and Buffalo offices maintain public access terminals where anyone can look up case information for free. Attorneys file through CM/ECF. Pro se filers can submit paper petitions in person. Meeting of creditors for Ontario County cases are held at the Rochester location.
For cases filed on or after June 16, 2003, copies from the electronic case file system cost $0.50 per page. At the Rochester office, payment must be by money order or certified check. Cash is not accepted there. This is different from the Buffalo office, which takes exact change along with money orders and certified checks.
The Ontario County Clerk's Office at 20 Ontario Street in Canandaigua keeps land records and court filings relevant to bankruptcy case research.
The office handles Supreme and County Court records, land filings, DMV services, and business certificates.
How to Find Ontario County Bankruptcy Records
PACER is where you go to search Ontario County bankruptcy records online. Registration is free. You search by debtor name, case number, Social Security number, or tax ID. Fees are $0.10 per page with a $3.00 cap on each document. If your quarterly charges stay under $30, the entire amount is waived.
The PACER Case Locator searches across all federal courts. This helps if you are not sure which district handled the case. It covers every bankruptcy court in the country.
Call VCIS at 866-222-8029 for free 24-hour case status checks. You get filing dates, case chapter, discharge status, and trustee information. No documents are available through the phone system.
Note: Ontario County phone requests for records copies are not accepted by the County Clerk. Submit requests by mail to 20 Ontario Street, Canandaigua, NY 14424.
The Ontario County Online Record Search portal lets you look up county-level records that may connect to bankruptcy filings.
Images are not available online through this system. You must request copies by mail from the County Clerk's Office.
Ontario County Clerk Records
The Ontario County Clerk's Office is at 20 Ontario Street, Canandaigua, NY 14424. Phone is 585-396-4200. Hours run Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM. The clerk is part of the 7th Judicial District and serves as Clerk of the Supreme and County Courts. Services include land records, court records, DMV, and business certificates.
County clerk records relate to bankruptcy in several ways. Mortgage filings, judgment dockets, and liens all appear in bankruptcy schedules. When someone files for bankruptcy, secured debts like mortgages show up in their petition along with the county-level recording information. The Records and Archives division maintains historical records including deeds going back to 1789, Surrogate Court records from 1789 to 1975, and naturalization records from 1803 to 1956.
Copy fees are $0.65 per page with a minimum of $1.30 per document. Remember that the clerk does not take phone requests for copies. Mail your request or go in person.
Ontario County Bankruptcy Exemptions
Ontario County sits in the lowest tier of New York's homestead exemption structure. Filers can protect up to $102,400 in home equity when choosing state exemptions under Section 282 of the Debtor and Creditor Law. The motor vehicle exemption is $5,500 above liens. Retirement accounts get protection up to $1,711,975 per person for cases filed between April 2025 and March 2028.
A debtor must have lived in New York for 730 days before filing to claim state exemptions. Otherwise, the exemption amounts from their prior state of residence may apply. Social Security, veterans' benefits, and unemployment benefits are fully exempt under both state and federal exemption systems.
Getting Copies of Ontario County Bankruptcy Filings
Download from PACER for $0.10 per page. Go to the Rochester courthouse for in-person copies at $0.50 per page. Bring a money order or certified check since Rochester does not take cash. Older cases may be at the National Archives. Get tracking numbers from the bankruptcy court first. NARA charges $90 for a full case file.
Nearby County Bankruptcy Records
These counties neighbor Ontario County and also file in the Western District of New York.