Search Oregon Bankruptcy Records
Oregon bankruptcy records are federal court documents held by the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Oregon. The court runs two offices in Portland and Eugene. Together, they handle all bankruptcy filings across the state. You can search Oregon bankruptcy records online through PACER, the federal system for public access to court electronic records. Case files include petitions, schedules, creditor lists, and discharge orders. Every filing is a public record. Basic case data is also free by phone through VCIS at 866-222-8029. This page covers how to find and access bankruptcy records throughout Oregon.
Oregon Bankruptcy Records Quick Facts
Oregon Bankruptcy Court System
All bankruptcy cases in Oregon go through federal court. State courts do not handle them. The United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Oregon manages every filing under federal law. Congress placed bankruptcy under Title 11 of the United States Code. This means one court system serves all 36 Oregon counties. The Portland office is at 1050 SW 6th Avenue, Suite 700, phone (503) 326-1500. Eugene is at 405 E 8th Avenue, Suite 2600, phone (541) 431-4000. Both locations are open Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Counties like Benton, Coos, Curry, Douglas, Jackson, Josephine, Klamath, Lake, Lane, Lincoln, Linn, Marion, and Polk file in the Eugene office. All other Oregon counties file bankruptcy in Portland.
Oregon's bankruptcy filings by county report shows annual case totals for each county. Visit the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Oregon for current court news, forms, and filing details.
Portland cases begin with the digits 3, 4, or 5. Eugene cases begin with 6, 7, or 8. These numbers tell you which office holds the file. Knowing the right office saves time when you search for Oregon bankruptcy records.
How to Find Bankruptcy Records
Several tools let you search for bankruptcy records in Oregon. The fastest option is PACER. It gives access to case information around the clock. You need an account to use it. Registration is free at pacer.uscourts.gov. Each page costs $0.10, with a cap of $3.00 per document. If you spend $30 or less in a quarter, the fees are waived entirely. About 75 percent of PACER users pay nothing in a given quarter. You can search by party name or case number. The PACER Case Locator searches across all federal courts at once, making it easy to find Oregon bankruptcy records even if you do not know which division handled the case.
VCIS is another free option. Call 866-222-8029 for automated case data by phone. It provides the case number, filing date, chapter, debtor name, attorney name, trustee, judge, meeting of creditors date, and case status. No account is needed. For state court records tied to a bankruptcy case in Oregon, OJCIN OnLine gives subscribers access to circuit court data across the state.
OJCIN subscriber support is at 1-800-858-9658. Free basic case searches are also available through the Oregon Judicial Department website without a subscription.
Note: PACER waives fees if you accrue $30 or less in charges during a quarter in Oregon.
Oregon Bankruptcy Records Online
You can request Oregon bankruptcy records in several ways. Visiting the clerk's office lets you view files in person until 4:15 p.m. Self-service copies cost $0.10 per page at lobby computers. Clerk-assisted copies run $0.50 per page by mail. Certified copies cost $11.00 per document. The court also handles email requests at no charge for discharge orders, petitions, schedules, and dismissal orders, typically processed within two business days. If you need help locating a specific document and cannot provide a case number, a records search fee of $30 to $34 may apply. The court's case information page provides full details on every method for obtaining Oregon bankruptcy records.
To speed up your search, have this information ready:
- Full name of the debtor
- Case number if you have it
- Approximate date of the filing
- Chapter type if known
Both offices keep the same hours. Walk-in file review ends at 4:15 p.m. Bring a valid ID and the case details listed above. Staff can help you locate the right bankruptcy records in Oregon.
Bankruptcy Chapters and Filings
Federal law provides several types of bankruptcy. Each type is named for its chapter in the United States Bankruptcy Code (Title 11). Chapter 7 covers liquidation. A trustee sells the debtor's nonexempt assets to pay creditors. Chapter 13 lets individuals with regular income repay debts over three to five years under a court-approved plan. Chapter 11 allows businesses to reorganize their affairs while still running day to day. Chapter 12 serves family farmers and fishermen with regular annual income. Section 362 of the code creates an automatic stay that stops all collection actions the moment a petition is filed in Oregon.
The Legal Information Institute at Cornell Law provides the full bankruptcy code text for free online.
Oregon bankruptcy records show which chapter the debtor filed under. They also list all debts, assets, income, and expenses reported in the case. Official bankruptcy forms approved by the Judicial Conference are used in every filing. Forms in the 100 series cover individuals. Forms in the 200 series cover businesses like corporations and partnerships. Form B 1320 is the Application for Search of Bankruptcy Records, used to request a formal search of court files. Section 541 of the code defines what counts as property of the bankruptcy estate in Oregon.
Oregon Bankruptcy Electronic Filing
The Oregon bankruptcy court uses four electronic filing systems. ECF is for attorneys and trustees. It is mandatory for all lawyers, all trustees, and any creditor who files more than 10 documents in a calendar year under Local Bankruptcy Rule 5005-4. The ePOC system lets creditors file claims without needing a login or password. eFinCert handles debtor education certificates from approved providers. PDU allows parties without an attorney to upload documents through a simple web form. A fifth tool, eSR, lets individuals filing Chapter 7 without a lawyer prepare and submit their bankruptcy petition online in Oregon. The court's electronic filing page has setup guides for each system.
All documents must be in PDF format. Filing fees still apply. Payment is by credit card or ACH. Failure to pay on time locks filers out of the electronic system for Oregon bankruptcy records.
Note: All documents filed electronically with the Oregon bankruptcy court must be saved in text-based PDF format.
Oregon Bankruptcy Court Rules
Local Bankruptcy Rules govern how cases move through the Oregon court. These rules build on the Federal Rules of Bankruptcy Procedure and the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. Filed documents are often returned or stricken because parties fail to follow the local rules. The court updates its Local Bankruptcy Rules once a year, with changes effective on December 1st. Proposed changes are published for public comment in October. Adopted rules post in November. Attorneys, trustees, and self-represented filers all must follow them when handling bankruptcy records in Oregon.
Prior years' rules and General Orders remain on the court website. General Orders cover administrative matters such as official court closings and court hours. The Ninth Circuit Bankruptcy Appellate Panel rules apply for appeals to the BAP. The Local Rules of the U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon also govern certain parts of bankruptcy practice, including appeals to that court. Following these rules is required for anyone filing or searching Oregon bankruptcy records.
Older Bankruptcy Records in Oregon
Bankruptcy records from the past 15 to 20 years are typically still with the court or stored at a Federal Records Center. Older files may have been transferred to the National Archives at Kansas City, which holds 125,000 cubic feet of bankruptcy case files. There is no charge to search. Reproduction costs start at $20.00 for the first 25 pages, with individual pages at $0.80 each. Files over 400 pages are not copied in full. Case files from 1940 and before are generally permanent records. Cases after 1940 may be subject to a 2.5 percent sampling for preservation. A typical file includes the debtor's petition, oaths, schedules, and a summary of debts and assets. These older Oregon bankruptcy records are also useful for genealogists because they reveal what an ancestor owned and owed.
If your credit report shows a bankruptcy you never filed, the Oregon court can issue a Certificate of Negative Filing. Mail your request with your full name, Social Security number, a $12.00 certification fee, the date range to search, and a self-addressed stamped envelope. A records search fee of $34.00 may apply if you do not specify a date range or if it goes before 2004. The court explains this process on its certificate of negative filing page.
Bankruptcy courts do not report information to credit bureaus. Credit agencies collect data from filed petitions on their own. You can check your report for free at annualcreditreport.com. The three major bureaus are Equifax at (800) 829-4577, TransUnion at (800) 888-4213, and Experian at (800) 311-4769. Contact them directly to dispute errors tied to Oregon bankruptcy records.
Note: Records filed before December 2003 may not appear on PACER and could require a clerk search for Oregon bankruptcy records.
Oregon Bankruptcy Legal Help
The Oregon State Bar runs a pro bono bankruptcy clinic that offers free advice and Chapter 7 representation for some low-income debtors. Residents of Multnomah, Clackamas, Washington, Yamhill, Columbia, Hood River, or Wasco County can call Legal Aid at (503) 224-4086 for a possible appointment. Deschutes, Crook, and Jefferson County residents should call (541) 385-6944. Lane County residents call (541) 342-6056. This clinic is a joint service from the Oregon State Bar Debtor-Creditor Section and the Volunteer Lawyers Project. Bankruptcy Basics on the U.S. Courts website also provides general information about the process and how it works in Oregon.
The court's judges and chambers page lists all current bankruptcy judges for the District of Oregon in both Portland and Eugene.
Four judges currently hear bankruptcy cases in Oregon. Judge Kathryn F. Evans serves in Eugene at (541) 431-4050. Judges David W. Hercher, Peter C. McKittrick, and Teresa H. Pearson serve in Portland. Each judge has dedicated law clerks and courtroom deputies. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals appoints all bankruptcy judges through a merit selection process. The court also maintains a searchable database of judicial opinions dating back to 1990, with some earlier opinions also available for public review. These records help practitioners and the public understand how Oregon bankruptcy cases have been decided over the years.
Browse Oregon Bankruptcy Records by County
Each Oregon county files bankruptcy cases through either the Portland or Eugene office. Pick a county below to find local filing details, court contacts, and resources for bankruptcy records in that area.
Bankruptcy Records in Oregon Cities
Residents of major Oregon cities file bankruptcy at their county's designated federal court office. Pick a city below to learn about bankruptcy records in that area.