Delaware City Bankruptcy Records

Delaware City bankruptcy records are held by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware in Wilmington. Delaware City sits in New Castle County, about 15 miles south of the federal courthouse. All bankruptcy cases from the city go there. No filings happen at the county courthouse or any state court. To search Delaware City bankruptcy records, use PACER, CM/ECF, or make the short drive up to Wilmington in person. This page lays out each step, lists legal aid, and points you to local offices that can come into play.

About Delaware City Bankruptcy Records

Delaware City is a small town in southern New Castle County. It sits on the Delaware River, near the mouth of the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal. The city's size keeps case volume low, but residents still use the same U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware as folks in Wilmington.

Delaware City residents can find municipal info through the New Castle County government site, which lists county services and office contacts.

Bankruptcy is a federal matter, so the city itself does not keep case files. But the Recorder of Deeds in New Castle County holds property deeds, mortgages, and liens that come up in a case. The Division of Revenue's New Castle County office holds state tax info.

Search Delaware City Bankruptcy Records

PACER is the main online tool. Go to pacer.uscourts.gov and make a free account. Search by name, case number, or SSN. Fees are $0.10 per page, capped at $3.00 per doc.

Try the PACER Case Locator if you don't know which court holds your case. The Delaware Bankruptcy Court case info page walks you through CM/ECF, VCIS, and PACER.

For in-person search, drive up to Wilmington. The court is at 824 N. Market Street, 3rd Floor. Public access terminals are on site. The clerk can make copies for a small fee. Certified copies cost more than plain ones.

Delaware City Legal Aid

Delaware City residents share the same legal aid as Wilmington and the rest of New Castle County. Delaware Volunteer Legal Services helps low-income folks at 302-575-0660. Work covers public housing, public benefits and bankruptcy, landlord and tenant issues, and some other areas.

Community Legal Aid Society, Inc. also serves the county. See the local programs page for more info. If you have income, the Delaware State Bar Association has a Lawyer Referral Service.

Huang Law LLC is one regional firm that takes consumer bankruptcy cases from Delaware City. Robert I. Masten, Jr. also serves the area. Local firms mostly handle Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 cases. Call for a free consult before you sign on.

State Offices for Delaware City

The Delaware Division of Revenue has a New Castle County office at the Carvel State Office Building, 820 N. French Street, Wilmington. The phone is 302-577-8200. Hours run 8:00 am to 4:00 pm, Monday to Friday.

Delaware City residents can get state tax info here. You need that data for your bankruptcy schedules. A bankruptcy filing stops state tax collection on pre-filing debt. Some tax debts are not dischargeable. See the Division of Revenue bankruptcy page for more.

The New Castle County Courthouse at 500 N. King Street, Wilmington, holds state court records. The Superior Court has records of civil judgments, state tax liens, and criminal cases. These records can come up on your bankruptcy schedules.

Court Fees for Delaware City Bankruptcy Records

All fees are set by the federal court. Key fees from the fee schedule:

• Adversary Complaint: $350
• Motion to Terminate Automatic Stay: $199
• Motion to Redact: $28
• Appeal: $298
• Archive Search: $34 per case
• PACER Viewing: $0.10 per page

Debtors pay with cash, money order, or cashier's check. Personal checks and credit cards do not work for debtors. All others can use those plus debit and credit cards.

Forms and Local Rules

To file a case, you have to use the right forms. Official Bankruptcy Forms are set by the U.S. Courts and must be used. Local Forms are set by the Board of Judges for the District of Delaware. See the forms overview page for every form.

The Local Rules took effect February 1, 2025. They govern practice in every case. Before you file a motion, read the rule that ties to it. You can find the rules at deb.uscourts.gov/local-rules.

Common Chapters Filed from Delaware City

Chapter 7 is the top chapter for consumer filers. A trustee sells non-exempt assets and pays creditors. Most cases close in four to six months. A discharge order wipes out most unsecured debt.

Chapter 13 is for wage earners who want to keep their home or car. You pay some debts over three to five years. Chapter 11 is used by firms and some people with large debts. For a guide, see the U.S. Courts bankruptcy basics page.

Old Cases and Archives

The court keeps case files for 15 years. Older files go to the National Archives and Records Administration in Philadelphia. To pull an old case, mail a search request with a $34 money order. Full steps are on the closed case retrieval page.

Delaware City is in New Castle County

Delaware City is in New Castle County. See the county page for more on court resources and local offices.

Nearby New Castle County Cities

Pick a nearby city below.

What Delaware City Bankruptcy Records Show

Delaware bankruptcy records are public under 11 U.S.C. § 107. You can view most filings, but some data is redacted by rule. Full SSNs, bank account numbers, and the names of minors are cut out for privacy reasons.

A typical case record shows the debtor name, the case number, the filing date, and the chapter filed. It also lists creditors and what each is owed. The name of the judge on the case, the trustee, and the debtor's lawyer are all on the docket. Most court orders, motions, and plans are open too. You can read them online through PACER or in person at the courthouse.

Some parts of a case can get sealed by the court. Trade secrets, personal data, and some child-related files may be sealed. A party can ask the judge to seal more, but that is not common. If you need a certified copy of any filing, the clerk's office can make one for a small fee.

For a plain English guide to what a case holds, see the Delaware court records page. It explains what bankruptcy records show and how they differ from state court records.