Filing for bankruptcy is a very personal thing. Because of the stigma associated with filing for bankruptcy, most people want the process to be as discreet as possible. One of the major concerns is about who will know about my bankruptcy filing.
The only people who receive notice of the bankruptcy filing is your creditors. This is because the bankruptcy court will actually send them an official form notifying them of the filing. Your creditors receive this notice so that they are aware of the bankruptcy automatic stay and that they are no longer permitted to pursue collections activities against you.
Bankruptcy records are public records. However, if someone wants to find bankruptcy records they have to put some effort into getting them. Bankruptcy records are available on the Federal Court Systems PACER Website. However, before using PACER one must apply for an ID and password and there are fees associated with pulling up records online. An individual can also go down the the bankruptcy courthouse and find court records, but again this is kind of tedious.
In short, bankruptcy filings are public record. But by public record this doesn't mean it is advertised in a newspaper or posted on a billboard somewhere. Frankly, unless you are a celebrity or someone famous most people do not really care, as thousands of people file for bankruptcy everyday.
If you have any questions about bankruptcy call (714) 263-6809 to speak to an Orange County Bankruptcy Lawyer at 1st California Law today!