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Bentonville Bankruptcy Records Lookup

Bentonville bankruptcy records are filed in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Arkansas. Bentonville is the county seat of Benton County, and filings for this area are handled through the Fayetteville division office at 35 E. Mountain Street, Room 316, Fayetteville, AR 72701, phone (479) 582-9800.

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Bentonville at a Glance

Benton County
Western Bankruptcy District
Arkansas State
$0.10 Per Page on PACER

Federal Bankruptcy Court for Bentonville

Bentonville is in Benton County, one of the counties served by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Arkansas. The nearest division office is in Fayetteville, about 25 miles south of Bentonville, at 35 E. Mountain Street, Room 316, Fayetteville, AR 72701, phone (479) 582-9800. Do not bring cash to this office. The Fayetteville location does not accept cash. Mail payments to the Western District headquarters in Fort Smith at 30 South 6th Street, Fort Smith, AR 72901.

Judge Richard Taylor, based in Fayetteville (P.O. Box 3097, Fayetteville, AR 72702, phone 479-582-9824), handles cases from the northwest Arkansas area including Benton County. The Benton County Courthouse is at 215 East Central Avenue in downtown Bentonville. That building houses the Benton County Circuit Clerk and other county offices, but bankruptcy filings are federal matters handled in Fayetteville or Fort Smith, not at the county courthouse.

Bentonville Bankruptcy Records on PACER

PACER at pacer.gov is the go-to system for searching Bentonville bankruptcy records online. Register for a free account, log in, and select "Arkansas Western Bankruptcy." Search by the debtor's name, case number, or last four digits of a Social Security number. Results display a list of matching cases with filing details. Click a case to see the full docket. Each page costs $0.10, capped at $3.00 per document. Accounts spending less than $30 per quarter pay nothing.

All electronically filed cases since December 2001 are searchable on PACER. Older paper records require a direct request to the Fayetteville or Fort Smith clerk's office. For quick basic case status without logging in, call the Multi-Court Voice Case Information System at 1-866-222-8029. That automated phone system is available 24 hours a day.

The PACER Case Locator at pcl.uscourts.gov lets you search all federal courts at once. If you are not certain whether a Bentonville case was filed in Arkansas or another state, the Case Locator can find it. It searches all districts simultaneously and updates nightly.

Benton County Circuit Clerk and Local Court Records

The Benton County Circuit Clerk, Brenda DeShields, maintains all state court records for Bentonville and Benton County. The office is at 215 East Central Avenue, Suite 6, Bentonville, AR 72712, phone (479) 271-1017. The website at bentoncircuitclerk.com includes an online records search portal covering documents from 1972 to present. You can search by name, case number, or document type.

State court records include civil lawsuits, criminal cases, domestic relations filings, and real estate documents. These are not bankruptcy records. Bankruptcy is a federal process with its own filing system. The state records and federal records do not overlap, though they sometimes relate to the same parties. If a creditor sued someone in Benton County Circuit Court and that person later filed bankruptcy, you would check CourtConnect for the state case and PACER for the bankruptcy case.

Bentonville City Clerk Malorie Marrs is located at 305 SW A Street, Bentonville, AR 72712, phone (479) 271-3112. City clerk records include ordinances, council minutes, and city resolutions. Those are separate from court records of any kind.

What Bentonville Bankruptcy Records Contain

Federal bankruptcy records are public. A case file includes the debtor's name, address, and case number. It shows the chapter filed, the filing date, and a full list of creditors with amounts owed. The debtor's schedules of assets and income are part of the public record. Trustee assignments and attorneys of record appear in the docket as the case moves through the system.

Some data is protected. Social Security numbers appear only in their last four digits. Bank account numbers are truncated. Minor children are referenced by initials. These rules are federal and apply at every U.S. bankruptcy court. They do not vary by state, city, or district.

Paper copies cost $0.50 per page at the courthouse. Certified copies carry an extra $12 certification fee. A formal name search by court staff costs $34. PACER at $0.10 per page is usually the most efficient option for most users.

Legal Aid and Bankruptcy Help in Bentonville

Legal Aid of Arkansas serves Benton County and may be able to help Bentonville residents with bankruptcy questions at no cost to qualifying individuals. Their statewide intake line can determine eligibility based on income. The Northwest Arkansas chapter of the Arkansas Bar Association can also provide attorney referrals for bankruptcy matters.

The federal court's website at arb.uscourts.gov lists approved credit counseling agencies. You must complete credit counseling before filing. A debtor education course is required after the court enters a discharge. Both courses are available online from approved providers and typically cost $20 to $50 each. The court's self-help resources page also has forms and procedural guides for people who do not have an attorney.

Arkansas Exemptions in Bentonville Bankruptcy Cases

Arkansas law lets filers keep certain property when they go through bankruptcy. These are called exemptions. Knowing them matters before you file.

The homestead exemption protects your home. In rural areas, up to 160 acres qualifies. In urban areas like Bentonville, the limit is one acre. In both cases, the value cap is $2,500 on the homestead. Personal property is protected up to $500 for married filers and $200 for single filers. These amounts are low compared to many states, so planning matters.

Some income sources are fully protected. Social Security payments are exempt. Workers compensation benefits cannot be taken by creditors. Pension and retirement benefits from public employment also qualify for protection. A bankruptcy trustee cannot claim these funds to pay unsecured debts.

Chapter 7 cases use exemptions to decide what stays with the debtor. In Chapter 13, exemptions affect how much unsecured creditors must receive under the repayment plan. Talk to a bankruptcy attorney before filing to make sure you use the right exemptions for your situation.

Chapter 7 vs Chapter 13 for Bentonville Filers

Most Bentonville bankruptcy cases fall under Chapter 7 or Chapter 13. The right choice depends on income, assets, and what you want to keep.

Chapter 7 is liquidation. It wipes out most unsecured debts such as credit cards and medical bills. The process takes 4 to 6 months. To qualify, your income must fall below Arkansas's median income level, or you must pass the means test. A trustee reviews your assets, sells non-exempt property, and distributes proceeds to creditors. Most Chapter 7 cases in Arkansas involve no assets worth selling.

Chapter 13 is a repayment plan. You keep your property and pay back part or all of your debts over 3 to 5 years. It works well if you are behind on a mortgage and want to catch up through the plan. You must have regular income to qualify. Chapter 13 costs more in attorney fees and takes longer than Chapter 7, but it offers tools that Chapter 7 does not.

Both chapter types are searchable on PACER. Both generate public records including the petition, schedules, and final court order. The chapter type appears in the case number suffix and in the case details on PACER.

Nearby Cities with Bankruptcy Records Pages

Bentonville is surrounded by other fast-growing cities in Benton and Washington counties, all of which file in the Western District.

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