Find Bankruptcy Records in Kent County

Kent County bankruptcy records are held by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware. The court sits in Wilmington, about 45 miles north of Dover. All bankruptcy cases from Kent County go there. No case can be filed at the Kent County Courthouse in Dover. To search Kent County bankruptcy records, use PACER, the CM/ECF system, or drive up to Wilmington in person. This page walks you through every step, lists local help, and points you to state offices that come up in a case.

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Kent County Quick Facts

Dover County Seat
45 miles To Bankruptcy Court
302-735-1930 Superior Court Phone
Central Delaware County

Kent County is the middle county in the state, with Dover as its county seat. Dover is also the state capital. The county has no bankruptcy court of its own. That is because bankruptcy is a federal matter under Title 11 of the U.S. Code. Only the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware can hear these cases.

That court is at 824 N. Market Street, 3rd Floor, Wilmington, DE 19801. The phone is 302-252-2900. People and firms in Kent County have to travel up there to file, attend hearings, and view case files in person. Many use PACER online instead. You can learn more about the county on the Kent County government site.

Kent County Delaware government site used alongside Kent County bankruptcy records research

The page links to every county office. Use it to find the Recorder of Deeds, Levy Court, and other county services.

While the county does not hold bankruptcy files, county and state offices do have data that often ties into a case. Property deeds, tax liens, and civil judgments all can show up on bankruptcy schedules. Kent County maintains these records through its own offices and through the state.

Where to Search Kent County Bankruptcy Records

Use PACER for online search. Make a free account first. Search by party 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. PACER shows dockets, motions, orders, and most filings.

If you do not know where a case was filed, try the PACER Case Locator. It covers every federal court in the U.S. You can save cases and save searches. To learn more about search tools, read the Delaware Bankruptcy Court case info page.

For in-person search, drive to Wilmington. The court has public access terminals. You pay the clerk for printed copies. Certified copies cost more. The drive takes about an hour from Dover on a good day. Call 302-252-2887 for the help desk before you go.

Kent County State Court Records

The Kent County Courthouse is at 414 Federal Street, Dover, DE 19901. The phone is 302-735-1930. The building houses the Superior Court, Court of Common Pleas, and Family Court.

The Superior Court, also called the Prothonotary, keeps records of civil judgments, pending suits, state tax liens, and criminal cases. These records come up often in bankruptcy. When you fill out Schedule E/F of your petition, you list every creditor and every claim. Judgments from the Superior Court belong on that list. If you miss a creditor, your discharge may not cover their debt.

Kent County court records page for state court records that tie into Kent County bankruptcy records

This page from delawarecourts.org gives a broad look at Kent County courts. Use it along with the state court sites.

For online state court case search, try courts.delaware.gov and CourtConnect. CourtConnect does not show federal bankruptcy cases. It shows state court dockets for Superior Court, Court of Common Pleas, and Justice of the Peace Court.

Legal Aid and Kent County Bankruptcy Records Help

Free legal help is out there for folks with low income. Community Legal Aid Society, Inc. serves Kent County at 302-674-8500. They help with public housing, public benefits and bankruptcy, landlord and tenant issues, custody, divorce, and immigration.

Delaware Volunteer Legal Services also works in Dover at 302-734-8820. They help with non-Family Court matters such as bankruptcy, private landlord and tenant issues, foreclosure, and other consumer cases. See the local programs page for a full list.

If you do not qualify for free help, the Delaware State Bar Association has a Lawyer Referral Service. A private bankruptcy lawyer will charge a set fee for Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 cases. Most lawyers who file in Wilmington work in New Castle County, so a Kent County filer often drives up there for meetings.

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 are 8:00 am to 4:00 pm, Monday to Friday.

Kent County filers can get state tax info at this office. The staff can pull your tax liability info, which you need for your bankruptcy schedules. A bankruptcy filing puts a stop to state tax collection on pre-filing debt. But you still need to file returns and pay any taxes that come due after you file. Some tax debts are not dischargeable. See the Division of Revenue bankruptcy page for more.

Delaware Public Archives in Dover

The Delaware Public Archives sits in Dover. The archives hold older court records, genealogy data, and many kinds of public records. Current bankruptcy records are at the Wilmington court, not at the archives. But old state court files and some old federal case records may be held there.

For most folks, the archives are useful only for deep research or old cases. Staff can help with research questions. Visit the archives site for hours and rules before you go.

Closed federal bankruptcy files from before December 30, 2002, may sit at the National Archives and Records Administration in Philadelphia, not at the state archives. The clerk at the Wilmington court can tell you which archive holds your case. See the closed case retrieval page for the steps to pull an old file.

Common Chapters for Kent County Bankruptcy Records

Chapter 7 is the top chapter for Kent County folks. A trustee sells non-exempt assets and pays back 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 a home or car. You pay back some debt over three to five years under a court-approved plan. Chapter 11 is less common for people but is used by firms. For a plain English guide to Chapter 11, see the U.S. Courts bankruptcy basics page.

Kent County Bankruptcy Records Fees

The court charges set fees for filings and copies. Under the Delaware Bankruptcy Court fee schedule, key fees include:

  • Adversary Complaint: $350
  • Motion to Redact: $28
  • Motion to Sever Chapter 7: $338
  • Appeal: $298
  • Archive Retrieval: $70 first box, $43 each more
  • Search Fee: $34 per case

PACER runs $0.10 per page, capped at $3.00 per doc. Debtors must pay the court in cash, money order, or cashier's check. Personal checks and credit cards do not work for debtor payments. All other filers can use any of those plus personal checks and cards.

Note: Archive retrieval fees go to NARA, not to the court. The court's search fee of $34 must be paid before the clerk can get the archive info.

Kent County Cities

The cities below are in Kent County. Pick one for local tips, legal aid, and more.

Other Delaware Counties

Cases from other counties come to the same court in Wilmington. Pick a county for more local info.

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