Search Anne Arundel County Bankruptcy Records
Anne Arundel County bankruptcy records are filed with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Maryland, Baltimore Division. This page covers how to find and access Anne Arundel County bankruptcy filings through PACER, VCIS, and in person, as well as how to search related records kept by the Circuit Court in Annapolis.
Anne Arundel County Overview
How to Search Anne Arundel County Bankruptcy Records
Anne Arundel County bankruptcy records are part of the federal court system. You can search them online through PACER, by phone through VCIS, or in person at the Baltimore courthouse. Each method works well for different needs.
PACER is the standard online portal for federal court records. Go to pacer.uscourts.gov and create a free account. Once logged in, search Anne Arundel County bankruptcy cases by the debtor's name, case number, or the last four digits of a Social Security number. PACER charges $0.10 per page with a $3.00 cap per document. If your quarterly charges total less than $30, the court waives the fee. This makes PACER a cost-effective option for occasional searches of Anne Arundel County bankruptcy records.
The PACER Case Locator at pcl.uscourts.gov lets you search bankruptcy cases across all federal districts at once. Use it if you are not certain whether a case was filed in Maryland or another state. You can filter results by district and then pull up the full docket in PACER once you find the right case.
VCIS (Voice Case Information System) is completely free and runs 24 hours a day. Call 1-866-222-8029 and follow the automated prompts. You can get the filing date, case status, chapter type, and whether a discharge was granted for Anne Arundel County bankruptcy cases. No account is needed. This is a quick check if you just need basic case information.
In-person access is at the Baltimore Division, located at Garmatz Federal Courthouse, 101 W. Lombard Street, Suite 8530, Baltimore, MD 21201. The phone is (410) 962-4295. Hours are Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The intake counter closes from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. daily. After-hours filings can go in the drop box on the first floor of the courthouse.
Baltimore Division: Bankruptcy Court for Anne Arundel County
The U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Baltimore Division, handles all Anne Arundel County bankruptcy filings. Anne Arundel County is one of Maryland's most populous counties, with a large number of bankruptcy cases filed each year. The Baltimore Division processes Chapter 7, Chapter 11, Chapter 12, and Chapter 13 cases from Anne Arundel County.
Annapolis is the state capital of Maryland and the county seat of Anne Arundel County. Maryland's Appellate Courts are also located in Annapolis. But for bankruptcy purposes, there is no federal court in Annapolis. All Anne Arundel County bankruptcy filings go to either the Baltimore or Greenbelt federal courthouse. Most Anne Arundel County cases are assigned to Baltimore. Documents may be filed at either division. Both have first-floor drop boxes for after-hours submissions.
| Baltimore Division |
Garmatz Federal Courthouse 101 W. Lombard Street, Suite 8530 Baltimore, MD 21201 Phone: (410) 962-4295 |
|---|---|
| Greenbelt Division |
Federal Courthouse 6500 Cherrywood Lane, Suite 300 Greenbelt, MD 20770 Phone: (301) 344-8016 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM (Intake closes 1 PM to 2 PM daily) |
| After Hours | Drop boxes on first floor of both courthouses |
Anne Arundel County Circuit Court Clerk
The Anne Arundel County Circuit Court sits in Annapolis at 8 Church Circle. This is the state court. It handles civil cases, criminal cases, land records, and family law matters. The clerk's office does not handle federal bankruptcy cases, but it keeps records that often come up in bankruptcy proceedings, such as civil judgments, liens, and real property filings.
The clerk has separate phone lines for different record types. Civil records: 410-222-1397. Criminal records: 410-222-1395. Land records: 410-222-1394. Marriage licenses: 410-222-1392. Passport services: 410-222-1145. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The Anne Arundel County court website is at circuitcourt.org. You can also check county court resources at aacounty.org/courts.
The District Court directory for Anne Arundel County at courts.state.md.us lists the Glen Burnie location that serves the northern part of the county.
The image above shows the Anne Arundel County courts page, which includes contact information and services for residents searching for court records in Annapolis.
| Address | 8 Church Circle, Annapolis, MD 21401 |
|---|---|
| Civil | (410) 222-1397 |
| Criminal | (410) 222-1395 |
| Land Records | (410) 222-1394 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM |
| Website | circuitcourt.org |
What Anne Arundel County Bankruptcy Records Contain
Bankruptcy filings in Anne Arundel County are federal court documents. They are detailed and cover every stage of the case. The public file is available through PACER and contains far more than most people expect.
The voluntary petition starts the case. It includes the debtor's name, address, and which chapter they filed under. Schedules A through J list all assets, all liabilities, income, and monthly expenses. These tell the court and creditors exactly what the debtor owns and owes. Anne Arundel County has a mix of homeowners and renters, so schedules dealing with real estate and vehicle exemptions vary widely by case. The means test is also part of the file for Chapter 7 cases. It shows whether the debtor's income is below the state median.
Later documents in an Anne Arundel County bankruptcy file include the trustee's report, any motions filed by creditors, reaffirmation agreements for secured debts like car loans, and the final discharge order. Chapter 13 cases add a repayment plan and any plan amendments filed over the three-to-five-year plan period. All of this is part of the public docket and searchable in PACER.
The Glen Burnie District Court page at mdcourts.gov covers state-level proceedings in northern Anne Arundel County that may appear alongside bankruptcy filings.
The above image shows the Glen Burnie courthouse information page, which serves residents in the northern part of Anne Arundel County near bankruptcy filing locations.
Fees for Anne Arundel County Bankruptcy Records
Fees for Anne Arundel County bankruptcy records follow the federal court fee schedule. They are the same across all Maryland counties.
PACER charges $0.10 per page, with a cap of $3.00 per document. Accounts with less than $30 in charges for a quarter pay nothing. This means casual searchers of Anne Arundel County bankruptcy records often pay zero. PACER billing is quarterly. You can monitor your balance online any time. Attorneys and researchers who pull many files will see charges accumulate quickly, so it pays to download full PDFs in a single session rather than returning multiple times to the same docket.
For older archived cases, SmartScan retrieval costs $11.00 plus $9.90 for the first 30 pages and $0.65 per page after that. The maximum is 100 pages. This is for Anne Arundel County bankruptcy cases that were filed on paper and have not been scanned into the digital system. Most cases from the past decade or so are already in PACER.
Filing fees for new Anne Arundel County cases are $338 for Chapter 7, $313 for Chapter 13, and $1,738 for Chapter 11. At the state Circuit Court, standard copies are $0.50 per page. Certified copies add a $5.00 certification fee. Recording a new document with the Anne Arundel County clerk carries a $40 surcharge per instrument.
Legal Help for Anne Arundel County Residents
Several free resources serve Anne Arundel County residents who need help with bankruptcy. These programs are worth checking before paying for private legal advice.
Maryland Legal Aid has offices throughout the state and serves Anne Arundel County residents. Call the main line at (866) MD-LAW-4U to apply for help with consumer debt, foreclosure, and related civil matters. You can also apply online at mdlab.org. Eligibility is income-based. Anne Arundel County is within close range of the Baltimore office, so in-person appointments are possible for many residents.
The People's Law Library at peoples-law.org has plain-English guides on how to file bankruptcy in Maryland. The site explains the difference between Chapter 7 and Chapter 13, which assets are exempt under Maryland law, and what to expect during the process. This is free and available at any time. The Maryland Courts Help Center at 410-260-1392 also answers basic questions about court procedures without giving legal advice.
Veterans in Anne Arundel County can contact the Veterans' Legal Hotline at 443-863-4040. The Family Law Hotline at 1-800-845-8550 can help with financial issues tied to family law matters. For Annapolis-area residents, the Anne Arundel County Bar Association may have referral resources for low-cost consultations with bankruptcy attorneys.
Cities in Anne Arundel County
Anne Arundel County has several large communities. Two qualify for dedicated pages on this site. All Anne Arundel County residents file bankruptcy cases through the Baltimore Division of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court, no matter which city or community they live in.
Other communities in Anne Arundel County include Annapolis, Pasadena, Odenton, Crofton, Arnold, Millersville, and Ferndale. All of these fall under the Baltimore Division for bankruptcy filings.
Nearby Counties
These counties border Anne Arundel County. Each has its own county page with local court and bankruptcy information.