Find Bankruptcy Records in Harrington

Harrington bankruptcy records are held by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware in Wilmington. Harrington is a small city in Kent County. All bankruptcy cases from Harrington go to the Wilmington court, which sits at 824 N. Market Street. To search Harrington bankruptcy records, you can use PACER, CM/ECF, or make the 60-mile drive to Wilmington. This page covers each step, lists local help in Dover and around Kent County, and points you to state offices that may come up in a case.

About Harrington Bankruptcy Records

Harrington is a small city in southern Kent County. The city is home to the Delaware State Fair each summer. Most of Harrington's residents are served by state offices in Dover, the county seat, which is about 15 miles to the north.

The court's homepage is the main door into Delaware bankruptcy records. Harrington filers start here.

There is no bankruptcy court in Kent County or anywhere south of Wilmington. The federal court is the only place in the state to file a case. Most Harrington residents who file for Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 work with a lawyer who travels up to Wilmington for court dates.

Search Harrington 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 run $0.10 per page with a $3.00 cap per doc. If your yearly use stays under $30, fees are waived.

Try the PACER Case Locator if you don't know where a case was filed. It covers every federal court. For a full list of search tools, read the Delaware Bankruptcy Court case info page.

Bankruptcy cases are public records under 11 U.S.C. § 107. That means most filings are open for anyone to view. Sealed items and redacted data are limited.

Harrington Legal Aid

Harrington residents can call Community Legal Aid Society, Inc. at 302-674-8500. They help Kent County folks with bankruptcy matters if income is low. Work covers Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 cases, creditor harassment, and other consumer issues.

Delaware Volunteer Legal Services has a Dover office at 302-734-8820. They help with non-Family Court matters like bankruptcy. See the local programs page for more.

If you have income, the Delaware State Bar Association has a Lawyer Referral Service. A private bankruptcy lawyer will take your case. Many Dover-area firms serve Harrington as part of their Kent County work.

State Offices for Harrington Filers

The Delaware Division of Revenue has a Kent County office in Dover at the Thomas Collins Building, 540 S. DuPont Highway. The phone is 302-744-1085. Hours are 8:00 am to 4:00 pm, Monday to Friday.

Harrington residents can get state tax info at the Dover office. You need that data for your bankruptcy schedules. A bankruptcy stops state tax collection on pre-filing debt, but post-filing taxes still come due. See the Division of Revenue bankruptcy page for more.

The Kent County Courthouse at 414 Federal Street, Dover, holds state court records for Harrington. The Superior Court has records of civil judgments, state tax liens, and criminal cases. These can come up in a bankruptcy case. See the Superior Court page for more.

Court Fees for Harrington Bankruptcy Records

All fees are set by the federal court. See the fee schedule for the full list. Key fees include:

• 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, $3.00 cap

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

Old and Closed Harrington Cases

Closed case files from the federal court are kept for 15 years. Older files move to the National Archives and Records Administration in Philadelphia. Cases filed before December 30, 2002, may be at NARA.

To pull an old file, you need the FRC info from the clerk. The search fee is $34 per case. NARA charges $70 for the first box and $43 for each more. Steps are on the closed case retrieval page.

Forms and Local Rules for Harrington Filers

Official Bankruptcy Forms are set by the U.S. Courts. Local Forms are set by the Board of Judges for the District of Delaware. Some local forms are required. See the forms overview page for the full list.

The Local Rules took effect February 1, 2025. They cover plans, motions, claims, and much more. Check the rule that ties to your filing before you submit it. Read the rules at deb.uscourts.gov/local-rules.

Common Chapters for Harrington Cases

Chapter 7 is the top chapter for consumer filers. A trustee sells non-exempt assets and pays back creditors. Most Chapter 7 cases close in four to six months.

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

Harrington is in Kent County

Harrington is in Kent County. See the county page for more on court resources and local offices.

Other Kent County Cities

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What Harrington 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.