Search Dover Bankruptcy Records
Dover bankruptcy records are held by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware in Wilmington. That's the only court that can hear a bankruptcy case in the state. No filings happen at the Kent County Courthouse in Dover. To search Dover bankruptcy records, use PACER, pull up the CM/ECF system, or make the 45-mile drive up to Wilmington. This page covers how to search online, what local help is out there in Dover, and which state offices come into play during a case.
Dover Quick Facts
About Dover Bankruptcy Records
Dover is the state capital and the county seat of Kent County. It sits in the middle of Delaware. The city has no bankruptcy court of its own. That is because bankruptcy is a federal matter under Title 11. Only the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware can hear these cases, and it sits in Wilmington.
Dover has plenty of state offices, though. Kent County's main courthouse is in Dover. The Delaware Division of Revenue has a Kent County office here. The Delaware Public Archives is also in Dover. Each of these can come into play in a bankruptcy case, even if your filing goes to Wilmington.
The Kent County Courthouse is at 414 Federal Street. It holds the Superior Court, Court of Common Pleas, and Family Court. These state courts hear civil and criminal cases. They keep records that may go on your bankruptcy schedules.
This is from the Delaware Courts locations page. It lists every state courthouse address and phone.
How to Search Dover Bankruptcy Records
The fastest way to search is online through PACER. Go to pacer.uscourts.gov and make a free account. You can then search by name, case number, or SSN. Fees are $0.10 per page with a $3.00 cap per doc. If your yearly use stays under $30, fees are waived.
If you don't know which court a case is in, try the PACER Case Locator. It covers every federal court. The Delaware Bankruptcy Court case info page has a full list of tools and what each one does.
For in-person search or copies, drive up to Wilmington. The court is at 824 N. Market Street, 3rd Floor. Public access terminals are on site. The clerk can print copies for a fee. Call the clerk at 302-252-2900 before you go. A certified copy costs a bit more than a plain copy.
Dover Legal Aid and Help
Dover has two main legal aid groups. Community Legal Aid Society, Inc. helps with public housing, public benefits and bankruptcy, landlord and tenant issues, custody, divorce, and immigration. Call them at 302-674-8500.
Delaware Volunteer Legal Services has a Dover office at 302-734-8820. They help with non-Family Court matters like bankruptcy, private landlord and tenant issues, foreclosure, and other consumer cases. See the local programs page for more.
Morris James LLP has an office in Dover. Their team handles both consumer and business bankruptcy cases. Other local firms work here too. If you have a small income, call legal aid first. They can point you to free or low-cost help.
Delaware Public Archives in Dover
The Delaware Public Archives is in Dover. It holds older court records, genealogy data, and other historical public records. Current bankruptcy files are in Wilmington, not here. Old state court records tied to a bankruptcy case may be at the archives.
The archives page at archives.delaware.gov has hours and research tips. Staff can help with any old records request.
For most folks, the archives are useful only for deep research. If your case goes back decades, the archives may have a thread you can pull on. Old federal bankruptcy files from before December 30, 2002, go to NARA in Philadelphia, not to the state archives.
Division of Revenue in Dover
The Delaware Division of Revenue has a Kent County office at the Thomas Collins Building, 540 S. DuPont Highway, Dover, DE 19901. The phone is 302-744-1085. Office hours run 8:00 am to 4:00 pm, Monday to Friday.
If you owe state taxes, this is the office that can pull your tax liability. You need that data when you fill out your bankruptcy schedules. A bankruptcy filing stops state tax collection on pre-filing debt. But you still have to file returns and pay any taxes that come due after you file. See the Division of Revenue bankruptcy page for more.
Court Fees for Dover Bankruptcy Records
All fees are set by the federal court, not the county or state. Check the fee schedule for a full list. Key fees include:
- Adversary Complaint: $350
- Motion to Redact: $28
- Motion to Terminate Automatic Stay: $199
- Appeal: $298
- Archive Search: $34 per case
- Archive Retrieval: $70 first box, $43 each more
Debtors must pay with cash, money order, or cashier's check. Personal checks and credit cards are not taken from debtors. All other filers can use those plus debit or credit cards. PACER viewing is $0.10 per page, capped at $3.00 per doc.
Note: Dover is the state capital, but the federal court is not here. All bankruptcy filings go to Wilmington, about 45 miles north.
Common Bankruptcy Chapters for Dover
Chapter 7 is the top chapter for consumer cases in Dover. A trustee sells non-exempt assets and pays creditors. Most Chapter 7 cases close in four to six months. A discharge wipes out most unsecured debt.
Chapter 13 is for wage earners who want to save a home or car. You pay back some debts over three to five years under a plan. Chapter 11 is for firms and some high-debt people. For more on Chapter 11, see the U.S. Courts basics page.
Dover is in Kent County
Dover sits in Kent County. The county page has more info on court resources, legal aid, and state offices across the county.
Other Kent County Cities
Pick a nearby city for local tips.
What Dover 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.