Wilmington Bankruptcy Records

Wilmington bankruptcy records are held by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware. The court is right in the heart of the city at 824 N. Market Street, 3rd Floor, inside the J. Caleb Boggs Federal Building. This is the only bankruptcy court for the entire state. You can search Wilmington bankruptcy records online through PACER, in person at the courthouse, or by calling the clerk's office. This page covers each step, lists local legal aid, and points you to the right spots for help.

About Wilmington Bankruptcy Records

Wilmington is Delaware's largest city. It is the county seat of New Castle County and the hub for all federal court work in the state. The U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware sits downtown. The U.S. District Court sits nearby at 844 N. King Street.

Wilmington is known across the country as a top spot for large Chapter 11 filings. Many major U.S. firms are set up as Delaware corporations, so they file here. The court has deep know-how in complex cases. Past filings from here include FTX Trading Ltd., Aerofarms, and many more. Small consumer cases get filed here too. The court hears them all.

The court is on the 3rd floor of the J. Caleb Boggs Federal Building. You need a valid photo ID to enter. The clerk's office is open Monday to Friday from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. Main phone is 302-252-2900. Help desk phone is 302-252-2887. See the court's homepage for more.

Search Wilmington Bankruptcy Records Online

CM/ECF is the court's online case management system. Lawyers and other filers use it to submit documents. The rest of us can use it to view case info and pull dockets. All activity on CM/ECF is tracked for security. It runs 24 hours a day.

The CM/ECF page at ecf.deb.uscourts.gov is the sign-in spot. Only authorized users can file papers, but anyone with a PACER account can view records.

For most people, PACER is the way to go. Make a free account, then pay $0.10 per page for viewing. The cap is $3.00 per doc. Use PACER for any federal court in the country. Visit pacer.uscourts.gov to sign up.

If you need help with a case search, try the Delaware court case finder. It gives plain English info on Wilmington's federal courts. Both the District Court and Bankruptcy Court are at the same address block.

The page has contact info, hours, and links. Use it as a starting spot if you're new to the federal courts.

Wilmington Bankruptcy Records Fees

The court charges set fees for filings, motions, and copies. PACER charges its own fees for viewing. Here's a quick look at the costs:

• Motion to Terminate Automatic Stay: $199
• Motion to Redact: $28
• Adversary Complaint: $350
• Appeal: $298
• PACER Viewing: $0.10 per page, $3.00 cap
• Archive Search: $34 per case

Debtors pay with cash, money order, or cashier's check. Personal checks and credit cards don't work for debtor fees. All other filers can use debit and credit cards too. See the full fee schedule for every fee.

Legal Help in Wilmington

Delaware Volunteer Legal Services (DVLS) is a key free legal aid group in New Castle County. Their Wilmington work covers public housing, public benefits and bankruptcy, landlord and tenant issues, and some other areas. Call 302-575-0660 to see if you qualify.

Community Legal Aid Society, Inc. also serves Wilmington. For a list of local programs, see dcadv.org. If you have income, the Delaware State Bar Association runs a Lawyer Referral Service. Most bankruptcy lawyers in the state work here in Wilmington, so it's easy to find one close by.

The city is home to many top law firms. Morris James LLP has offices in Wilmington and Dover. Robert I. Masten, Jr. offers consumer bankruptcy work for all three counties. See his page on the court's site for more on getting a lawyer admitted to the court.

Wilmington Bankruptcy Court Judges

Eight bankruptcy judges sit in Wilmington. Chief Judge Karen B. Owens sits in Courtroom #3 on the 6th floor. Judge Thomas M. Horan sits in Courtroom #1 on the 6th floor. The other judges are John T. Dorsey, Craig T. Goldblatt, Brendan L. Shannon, Laurie Selber Silverstein, J. Kate Stickles, and Mary F. Walrath.

Each judge has their own chambers rules. Those rules set hearing dates, how to bring motions, and when to ask for a chambers copy. Before any filing, check the judge page on the judge information page. Individual Chapter 7 cases get sent at random to Judge Shannon or Judge Silverstein.

New Castle County Links

Wilmington is in New Castle County. That page has more info on county offices, state court records, and the Division of Revenue. For property records from the Recorder of Deeds or state court judgments, go there first. The county courthouse at 500 N. King Street holds state court records.

Wilmington Bankruptcy Records Forms and Rules

To file a case in Wilmington, 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. Some local forms are required. Using the wrong form can hold up your case.

The court posts every form online. You can grab the 341 Notice, the Ancillary Summons, the fee installment form, the proof of claim, and more. See the forms overview page for the full list.

The Local Rules took effect February 1, 2025. They cover plans, motions, claims, disclosure statements, and much more. Before you file a motion, read the tied rule first. You can find them at deb.uscourts.gov/local-rules. For help with tax debt that ties into your case, the Division of Revenue bankruptcy page has guidance. The nearest Revenue office is in Wilmington at 820 N. French Street.

Closed Case Files in Wilmington

The court keeps case files for 15 years. After that, files move to the National Archives and Records Administration in Philadelphia. Cases filed before December 30, 2002, may also be at NARA. To pull an old file, you need the transfer number, box number, and case number.

Mail a search request to the clerk. Pay $34 in a money order or cashier's check. NARA then charges $70 for the first box and $43 for each more. Full steps are on the closed case retrieval page. In a rush, call the clerk at 302-252-2900.

Nearby Delaware Cities

Wilmington is close to these other Delaware cities. Pick one for local help and tips.