Union County Bankruptcy Records
Bankruptcy cases filed in Union County go through the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee, Northern Division, with the serving courthouse in Knoxville. This page explains how to search case records, what is in a typical bankruptcy file, how to reach the court, and what fees apply for filings and document access.
Union County Bankruptcy Quick Facts
Eastern District Court, Northern Division
Union County falls under the Northern Division of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee. The Knoxville courthouse at 800 Market Street, Suite 330, Knoxville, TN 37902, handles bankruptcy filings for Union County. The clerk's office phone is (865) 545-4279. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Maynardville is the county seat of Union County, and residents throughout the county file at the Knoxville courthouse or submit documents by mail. Knoxville is roughly 25 to 30 miles from Maynardville, making in-person visits practical. Hearings for Union County cases are held at the Knoxville courthouse as well. Attorneys use CM/ECF for electronic filings; self-represented individuals may appear in person or mail documents to the clerk's office.
The Eastern District's website at tneb.uscourts.gov lists local rules, required filing forms, judge procedures, and trustee contacts. The site also covers fee waivers for Chapter 7 filers and installment payment options. If you are filing without an attorney, reviewing the court's pro se resources on this site before you begin can help you avoid common errors.
The Northern Division serves Knox County and its surrounding counties, including Union, Anderson, and Campbell. The Knoxville clerk's office handles records for all of them. If you are researching someone who may have filed in any of these counties, a name search through PACER covers the full division at once.
How to Search Union County Bankruptcy Cases
PACER is the main tool for searching federal bankruptcy records online. Register free at pacer.uscourts.gov. Once logged in, select the Eastern District of Tennessee and search by debtor name, case number, or the last four digits of a Social Security number. Results cost 10 cents per page, capped at $3 per document. Quarterly charges under $30 are not billed.
The PACER Case Locator at pcl.uscourts.gov is useful when you do not know which district holds a case. It searches all federal courts at once. Enter a name and filter by Tennessee. Results show the district, case number, and filing date, and they link to the full case in PACER. This is the right starting point if you are not certain Union County is where the case was filed.
The Voice Case Information System provides free phone-based lookups. Call 866-222-8029 and press extension 813 for the Eastern District. This automated line is available 24 hours a day. You can enter a name or case number on your phone keypad to get filing dates, case status, hearing times, and trustee assignments. VCIS gives basic case facts only and does not provide document copies.
Cases filed before electronic records began may not appear in PACER. The National Archives holds older closed federal court files. For historical Union County cases, visit archives.gov/research/court-records to find the request process.
Union County Government and State Court Resources
The Union County government website is a useful starting point for finding local office contacts and general county information. It covers county departments and services, including the county clerk's office, which handles state court matters separate from federal bankruptcy filings.
The official Union County site is at unioncountytn.gov.
State court records for Union County are separate from federal bankruptcy cases. Circuit court and general sessions records are held at the county level and are searchable through the Tennessee Courts Information System. Checking state records alongside federal bankruptcy filings gives a more complete view of any open legal matters.
The Union County state court records page on the Tennessee Courts system is at union.tncrtinfo.com.
This system covers state civil and criminal cases only. Federal bankruptcy records are not included here. Use PACER for those. Together the two sources give you the fullest picture of someone's legal activity in Union County.
What Union County Bankruptcy Records Include
A bankruptcy case file is a public record. The petition opens the case and names the debtor, chapter, and filing date. Schedules detail all assets and liabilities, income, expenses, and contracts. The statement of financial affairs covers the debtor's income and financial activity in the two years before filing. The creditor matrix lists every person or company owed money. All these documents are on file with the court and available through PACER once the case is open.
Chapter 7 adds the trustee's report, any creditor claims filed by the deadline, and the discharge order when the case closes. Most individual Chapter 7 cases are no-asset cases where nothing is sold and discharge comes within a few months. Chapter 13 files include the proposed repayment plan, the court's confirmation order, and payment records over the three-to-five-year plan period. Chapter 11, mostly used by businesses, includes a disclosure statement and a reorganization plan.
Social Security numbers appear in truncated form. Bank account numbers show only the last four digits. Judges may seal specific portions of a case on motion. The Knoxville clerk's office can tell you what is publicly available if you call before pulling records through PACER.
Filing Fees, Chapters, and Automatic Stay
Federal filing fees are the same across all Tennessee districts. Chapter 7 is $338. Chapter 13 is $313. Chapter 11 runs $1,717. These fees are paid to the court clerk at the time of filing. Chapter 7 filers whose income is below 150 percent of the federal poverty guideline may apply for a full fee waiver. Any filer can request an installment plan by filing a motion before or with the petition.
Chapter 7 provides a discharge of most unsecured debts after the trustee reviews assets. Most individual Union County Chapter 7 cases are no-asset cases. Discharge usually comes three to five months after filing. Chapter 13 is for people with regular income who want to keep secured property such as a home. The plan runs three to five years and requires court confirmation. Chapter 11 is mainly for businesses but available to high-debt individuals as well.
Filing an any chapter triggers an automatic stay immediately. Collection calls stop. Wage garnishments pause. Foreclosure actions halt. The stay protects the debtor while the case moves through the court. Creditors who want to continue collection must file a motion for relief from stay and get court approval before resuming.
PACER access costs 10 cents per page, capped at $3 per document. For certified copies, contact the Knoxville clerk at (865) 545-4279 to ask about current copy fees and processing times.
Public Records Law and Governing Statutes
Federal bankruptcy records are governed by 11 U.S.C. Section 107. The statute makes all papers filed in a bankruptcy case public records by default. Exceptions apply to sealed documents, personal identifiers, trade secrets in business cases, and records restricted by court order. Courts must protect sensitive details in specific situations, but the default rule strongly favors public access.
Tennessee's public records act, TCA 10-7-503, covers state and county government records, including the Union County clerk's office and state courts. It does not apply to federal bankruptcy court records. When requesting documents from a federal court, federal law controls. When requesting records from a county clerk or state agency in Union County, TCA 10-7-503 sets the rules.
Nearby Counties
Union County borders several other east Tennessee counties served by the Eastern District federal court.