Des Moines Bankruptcy Records

Des Moines bankruptcy records are maintained by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Washington, the federal court that handles all bankruptcy filings for King County residents. Des Moines is a small King County city of about 32,000 people situated along Puget Sound between SeaTac and Federal Way. Residents here file bankruptcy at the Seattle courthouse and can search existing cases through PACER online or call VCIS for free phone-based status updates. This page covers how to access those records, the different bankruptcy chapters and their costs, Washington's property exemptions, and legal help options available to Des Moines residents.

Federal Bankruptcy Court for Des Moines

Des Moines is in King County, which falls within the Western District of Washington for federal court jurisdiction. All bankruptcy petitions filed by Des Moines residents go to the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Western District. The Seattle courthouse at 700 Stewart Street handles filings for the northern part of the district including King County. The Tacoma courthouse is also available and may be a convenient option for some south King County residents.

Bankruptcy cases are entirely federal. State courts do not hear them. The U.S. Bankruptcy Code provides the legal framework, and the Western District of Washington adds local rules on top of that. Those local rules specify required forms, deadlines, and procedures particular to this district. If you file without following local rules, the court can dismiss your case or reject your petition. Reviewing the local rules before filing is essential, especially for people representing themselves.

The court website at wawb.uscourts.gov posts all local rules, required local forms, the fee schedule, a list of approved credit counseling providers, and the names and contact information for panel trustees. Credit counseling from an approved provider is required within 180 days before filing. A debtor education course is required after filing and before the discharge order is entered. Both are available online for a modest fee.

King County Superior Court and Civil Records

While bankruptcy proceedings are federal, financial distress often leaves a trail in the state court system too. Civil debt collection lawsuits, wage garnishment applications, and foreclosure actions all go through King County Superior Court. Searching those records can give you a fuller picture of someone's financial and legal history before or alongside a bankruptcy filing.

The King County Script Portal at dja-prd-ecexap1.kingcounty.gov is free to use and searchable by name or case number. It covers filings from November 1, 2004 through the present. You can view basic case information, docket entries, and parties. Copy fees are $0.25 per page for non-certified online copies and $5 for the first page of a certified copy plus $1 for each page after.

The Kent location at 401 4th Ave N, Kent, WA 98032 is the Maleng Regional Justice Center, which serves south King County including Des Moines. For Des Moines residents, this facility may be easier to reach than the downtown Seattle courthouse for in-person records requests.

Des Moines Municipal Court is located at 2125 S. 216th Street, Des Moines, WA 98198. Phone: (206) 870-6521. The city website is desmoineswa.gov. The municipal court handles local traffic infractions and misdemeanors only. It does not hear bankruptcy cases or debt litigation, but its records may be relevant for other background research purposes.

The screenshot below shows the Des Moines Municipal Court website, which provides local contact information and services for Des Moines residents navigating city-level legal matters.

Source: desmoineswa.gov

The city of Des Moines website provides municipal court contact details and local resources that residents may need when handling legal and financial matters.

How to Search Des Moines Bankruptcy Records

Three main tools cover Des Moines bankruptcy records. PACER handles the full federal case database. VCIS gives you a free phone option for quick status checks. State court portals cover civil records that often go hand in hand with financial distress cases.

PACER is the federal judiciary's public access system. Register at pacer.uscourts.gov. After creating a free account, you search by debtor name, case number, or the last four digits of a Social Security number. PACER returns the full docket for any case, including all documents filed with the court, the case status, trustee assignment, and hearing history. The cost is $0.10 per page, but if your quarterly total stays under $30 the charge is waived entirely. That means most one-off case searches end up free. Questions about your PACER account can be directed to 800-676-6856.

VCIS stands for Voice Case Information System. Call 866-222-8029 any time. There is no account needed and no cost. The automated system provides basic case facts: debtor name, filing date, case type, trustee name, and whether the case is open or has been discharged or dismissed. VCIS does not provide document access or full docket entries, but for a quick status check it is the fastest option available.

For Washington state court records, the statewide name search at dw.courts.wa.gov covers Superior Court cases across all 39 counties. The Odyssey Portal at odysseyportal.courts.wa.gov covers courts using the Odyssey system. Older records are held at the Washington Digital Archives: digitalarchives.wa.gov. Using PACER for federal records alongside the Washington Courts search for state records gives you a fairly complete view of someone's legal and financial history.

Bankruptcy Types and Fees

Federal law provides several bankruptcy chapters suited to different situations. For Des Moines residents, Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 cover the vast majority of individual filings. The filing fee and eligibility rules differ by chapter.

Chapter 7 is liquidation bankruptcy. It is the faster option, usually finishing within three to six months. A trustee is appointed to review your assets. If you have non-exempt assets, the trustee may sell them and distribute the proceeds to creditors. Most Chapter 7 filers have few or no non-exempt assets, so the case concludes with a discharge and nothing sold. The filing fee is $338. To file Chapter 7, you must pass the means test, which looks at your average monthly income over the past six months compared to Washington state's median income for a household of your size. Filers whose income is too high may not qualify for Chapter 7 and must use Chapter 13 instead.

Chapter 13 is a repayment plan bankruptcy. It is the right choice if you have regular income and want to keep secured property like a home or car, or if you have debts that cannot be discharged in Chapter 7. The plan runs three to five years. You make monthly payments to a trustee who distributes funds to creditors based on a court-approved plan. The filing fee is $313. If you complete all required plan payments, remaining eligible debts are discharged at the end. Chapter 13 is often used to stop a foreclosure and catch up on mortgage arrears over time.

Chapter 11 is primarily for businesses reorganizing debt. It is available to individuals too, usually those with very high debt levels. The filing fee is $1,738. Chapter 12 serves family farmers and family fishermen with regular income. Filing fee: $278. These chapters are far less common for Des Moines individuals compared to 7 and 13. Chapter 7 filers who cannot afford the fee upfront may request a fee waiver based on household income or ask to pay in installments. Chapter 13 filers cannot waive the fee but can request installment payments.

Washington Exemptions in Bankruptcy

Washington requires all bankruptcy filers to use state exemptions rather than the federal exemption set. Exemptions are the legal protections that determine what property you keep after filing. The main statutes are RCW 6.15 covering personal property and RCW 6.13 covering the homestead exemption.

Under RCW 6.15, Washington exempts household furnishings up to $3,500, one motor vehicle up to $15,000 in equity, tools and equipment used in your trade or business up to $15,000, and a wildcard exemption of $10,000 applicable to any personal property. Married couples filing together can often double some of these amounts. Retirement accounts and pension funds are generally fully exempt under both state and federal law. Social Security benefits, unemployment compensation, and child support payments are also protected.

The homestead exemption under RCW 6.13 is pegged to the median single-family home sale price in the county where your property sits. For Des Moines, that means King County's median home price. King County home prices are among the highest in Washington state. This means Des Moines homeowners can protect a meaningful amount of home equity through the homestead exemption. The exemption applies automatically to your principal residence. You do not need to record a formal declaration, though doing so establishes a clear protection date.

Applying exemptions accurately is critical. Listing them incorrectly on your Schedule C can result in a trustee challenging the exemption and potentially taking property you could have kept. This is one area where consulting with a bankruptcy attorney before you file is worth the cost. An experienced Western District practitioner will know how to apply RCW 6.15 and RCW 6.13 to your specific situation.

The image below shows the Washington State Legislature website displaying RCW 6.15, the statute that governs personal property exemptions for Washington bankruptcy filers.

Source: app.leg.wa.gov

RCW 6.15 on the Washington State Legislature website sets out the personal property exemptions that protect your assets when you file bankruptcy in Washington.

Legal Help in Des Moines

Des Moines residents have access to several legal aid and attorney referral resources throughout King County. Whether you are deciding whether to file, figuring out which chapter applies to you, or trying to understand your exemptions, getting advice before you file can prevent costly mistakes.

The King County Bar Association runs free 30-minute legal clinics at 34 locations across the county. These clinics include help with debt and bankruptcy questions. Call (206) 267-7070 or visit kcba.org to find a clinic convenient to Des Moines. South King County clinic locations may be the closest for Des Moines residents. The Bar Association also operates a lawyer referral service for people who need ongoing representation.

CLEAR is the statewide legal aid intake service. In King County, call 211 or 888-201-1014. CLEAR can connect you to Northwest Justice Project at nwjustice.org. Northwest Justice Project handles civil legal matters for low-income clients, including debt-related cases that intersect with bankruptcy. The Office of Civil Legal Aid has a directory of additional providers at ocla.wa.gov. The Washington State Bar Association's public attorney search at wsba.org lets you find licensed bankruptcy attorneys near Des Moines.

Older closed bankruptcy cases that are no longer active in PACER may be available from the National Archives at Seattle. Address: 6125 Sand Point Way NE, Seattle, WA 98115-7999. Phone: (206) 336-5132. Website: archives.gov/seattle. If you are researching an old case and cannot find it in PACER, the National Archives is the next place to check. They hold archived federal court records including bankruptcy cases from this region.

King County Bankruptcy Records

Des Moines is in King County. Bankruptcy filings go through the Western District federal court, and related state civil records are in King County Superior Court. Visit the King County page for more on county-level records and search tools.

View King County Bankruptcy Records

Nearby Cities

These cities near Des Moines also use the Western District of Washington for bankruptcy filings.