Search King County Bankruptcy Records

King County bankruptcy records are federal court records, filed through the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Washington in Seattle. King County is the largest county in Washington, home to roughly 2.3 million people across Seattle, Bellevue, Kent, Renton, Federal Way, and dozens of surrounding communities. Whether you need to search for a debtor, pull a case history, or get copies of filed documents, this page covers the tools and offices that give you access to those records.

Federal Bankruptcy Court for King County

King County falls within the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Washington. The court is located in downtown Seattle at 700 Stewart Street. This is the office where all bankruptcy petitions from King County are filed and where hearings and meetings of creditors take place. The court handles cases from Seattle, Bellevue, Redmond, Kirkland, Renton, Federal Way, and every other city and community within King County.

The Western District court website at wawb.uscourts.gov is your main online hub. It provides access to local court rules, filing forms, the fee schedule, approved credit counseling and debtor education providers, and links to PACER for electronic case access. The court also operates a public case information terminal in the lobby for anyone who wants to search records in person without a PACER account.

The screenshot below shows the Western District of Washington Bankruptcy Court's website, the primary resource for King County case filings and public records access.

The court's site at wawb.uscourts.gov lists all local rules, approved providers, and filing requirements for King County cases.

This site is where King County residents and attorneys file petitions, search cases, and find information about scheduled hearings and trustee assignments.

King County Superior Court Clerk

The King County Superior Court Clerk's Office does not handle federal bankruptcy cases directly. Those are filed with the federal court in Seattle. However, the Superior Court Clerk maintains state court records that often connect to bankruptcy situations. This includes civil judgments entered against debtors, property liens recorded in county records, family law cases involving debt and support obligations, and probate matters that overlap with estate administration. If you need those records to support a bankruptcy filing or to understand a debtor's full legal situation, the Clerk's Office is where to go.

King County Superior Court operates two main locations. The downtown Seattle courthouse serves the bulk of civil and criminal cases. A second location in Kent serves communities in the southern part of the county. Both locations maintain access to the same case records system. The Clerk's Office also offers an online records portal called KC Script Portal at kingcountycourt.us, where you can view and purchase court documents filed after November 1, 2004.

The screenshot below shows the King County Superior Court Clerk's Office records access portal, which covers civil, criminal, family law, and probate cases filed in the county.

The King County courts page links to the records portal and clerk contact information.

Use this portal to look up civil judgments or liens entered against a debtor in King County state court, which may be relevant to a federal bankruptcy proceeding.

Note: Legacy records filed before July 1, 1979 and stored on microfilm are only available for in-person viewing at the downtown Seattle Clerk's Office during regular business hours.

How to Search King County Bankruptcy Records

PACER and VCIS are the two main tools for searching federal bankruptcy cases filed by King County residents. Both pull from the same court database. PACER charges per page; VCIS is free by phone. Either way, you get access to the same underlying case data.

PACER, which stands for Public Access to Court Electronic Records, is the standard system for federal court records nationwide. Create a free account at pacer.uscourts.gov or call 800-676-6856. After logging in, select the Western District of Washington and search by debtor name, case number, or the last four digits of a Social Security number. Each page viewed costs $0.10, with a cap of $3.00 per document. If your total charges for the quarter stay under $30, those fees are waived automatically. You can search dockets, view filed documents, check case status, and see trustee assignments. It is the most complete tool for anyone doing thorough research on a King County bankruptcy case.

VCIS, the Voice Case Information System, is a free phone service available around the clock. Call 866-222-8029. No account needed. The automated system lets you search by debtor name or case number and returns the case number, filing date, chapter type, debtor name, trustee name, and case status. Takes about two minutes. Works any time of day or night. For a quick status check on a single case, VCIS is often the fastest option.

The Washington Courts name search tool at dw.courts.wa.gov covers state court records, not federal bankruptcy cases. Use it to check for civil judgments or other state-level activity related to a debtor. The statewide courts directory lists contact information for every court in Washington.

The Washington State Digital Archives at digitalarchives.wa.gov holds historical King County court records. The Puget Sound Regional Branch at (425) 564-3940 maintains these collections and can assist with requests for older records not available through online portals.

The King County Archives at 1215 E. Fir Street, Seattle, phone (206) 263-2480, serves as the official repository for county government records. This is not the same as the court records system, but it can be useful for historical property and financial records. The National Archives at Seattle at 6125 Sand Point Way NE, phone 206-336-5132, maintains federal court records including older bankruptcy case files. Research visits are by appointment only, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Bankruptcy Chapters and Filing Fees

Federal bankruptcy law provides several types of relief, each with a different process and a different filing fee paid to the court clerk when you submit your petition. King County residents file all chapter types through the Western District court in Seattle.

Chapter 7 is the most common. It is a liquidation process where a trustee reviews your assets, may sell non-exempt property to pay creditors, and then most remaining unsecured debts are discharged. The filing fee is $338. Most individual Chapter 7 cases with few assets take about four to six months from filing to discharge. You must pass a means test showing your income falls at or below the state median, or that your disposable income is too low to fund a repayment plan.

Chapter 13 lets individuals with regular income keep their property while repaying debts over three to five years through a court-approved plan. The filing fee is $313. It is often the right choice for someone behind on a mortgage who wants to stop a foreclosure while catching up on arrears. Your secured and unsecured debts must fall within statutory limits to qualify. Chapter 12 is structured like Chapter 13 but is designed for family farmers and fishermen. The filing fee is $278. Chapter 11 is a reorganization option used primarily by businesses and high-debt individuals whose debts exceed Chapter 13 limits. The Chapter 11 filing fee is $1,738.

Before you file any chapter, you must complete an approved credit counseling course. After your case ends but before a discharge is entered, you must also complete an approved debtor education course. Both can typically be done online or by phone. The Western District court website lists approved providers. Fee waivers for the courses are available if you qualify based on income.

Note: King County has a high cost of living, but bankruptcy filing fees are set by federal law and are the same across all counties in Washington.

Washington Bankruptcy Exemptions for King County Filers

When you file for bankruptcy in King County, Washington law lets you protect certain property from creditors. These protections are called exemptions. You choose between Washington's state exemption system and the federal exemption system when you file. Washington's state exemptions are generally the better choice for most filers here.

Under RCW 6.15, King County filers can exempt up to $3,500 in household goods and furnishings, up to $15,000 in a motor vehicle, up to $15,000 in tools used in a trade or business, and up to $10,000 as a wildcard exemption that can apply to any property you choose. Since July 2023, married couples each get their own full set of these exemptions. That change means a married couple filing jointly can protect up to $30,000 in vehicle value, $30,000 in tools, and $20,000 in wildcard assets. That is a significant increase in protected amounts for joint filers in King County.

The homestead exemption under RCW 6.13 equals the median sale price of a single-family home in your county at the time you file. In King County, where home values are among the highest in the state, this exemption can be very large. It protects your equity in a home you actually live in. If you own and occupy a home in Seattle, Bellevue, Renton, or anywhere else in King County, this exemption is likely your most valuable protection. You must reside in the home for the exemption to apply.

Exemption planning before you file can have a big effect on what property you keep. Speaking with a licensed bankruptcy attorney is strongly recommended, especially in King County where home equity and asset values tend to be higher than in most other parts of Washington.

Legal Help for King County Residents

King County has more legal aid resources than most counties in Washington. Several organizations offer free or reduced-cost help to residents who qualify. Legal advice before filing can make a real difference in the outcome of a bankruptcy case.

The King County Bar Association Pro Bono Services department coordinates free legal help through over 1,400 volunteer attorneys. Their Neighborhood Legal Clinics include locations that specialize in debt and bankruptcy. Call (206) 267-7070 to apply, or fill out the intake form online at kcba.org/For-the-Public/Free-Legal-Assistance. Current wait times for Debt and Bankruptcy Clinics are about three to five weeks.

The screenshot below shows the King County Bar Association's free legal assistance page, which connects residents with volunteer attorneys for debt and bankruptcy consultations.

The KCBA runs one of the most active pro bono programs in the state at kcba.org, with 34 neighborhood clinic locations across King County.

Clinic appointments are available at locations across the county, including sites in Seattle, Bellevue, Renton, Federal Way, and other communities.

The Northwest Justice Project at nwjustice.org provides free civil legal help to low-income people across Washington, including bankruptcy matters. CLEAR, the statewide legal aid intake line, can be reached at 888-201-1014. The Washington State Bar Association runs a lawyer referral service and legal help directory at wsba.org/for-the-public/find-legal-help. The Office of Civil Legal Aid at ocla.wa.gov can also point you to services in your area.

The U.S. Trustee Program for the Western District is headquartered in Seattle. The Trustee oversees the administration of bankruptcy cases and handles complaints about fraud or misconduct. They do not provide legal advice to individual filers but can be contacted at (206) 553-2000. Washington's Attorney General Consumer Protection Division at atg.wa.gov/consumer-protection, reachable at 800-551-4636, handles complaints about predatory lenders and debt collectors.

King County Archives and Historical Records

The King County Archives at 1215 E. Fir Street, Seattle, phone (206) 263-2480, is the official repository for the county's permanent government records. It does not hold federal bankruptcy case files, but it does maintain historical property, financial, and administrative records that can be relevant when researching older estates or tracing asset ownership.

The King County Archives page is shown below, illustrating the scope of historical records held by the county for public research.

Visit kingcounty.gov/operations/archives.aspx to learn more about the archives collections and research policies.

Researchers can schedule visits to the archives for access to historical documents not available through online portals.

For older federal bankruptcy records, the National Archives at Seattle at 6125 Sand Point Way NE, phone 206-336-5132, holds historical federal court files including bankruptcy cases. Appointments are required and can be made by contacting the archives directly. The research room is open Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Cities in King County

King County contains Seattle and many major cities. All bankruptcy cases from every city and community in King County are filed through the Western District of Washington court in Seattle.

Nearby Counties

King County borders several other counties. If you are unsure which county a property or address falls in, check these nearby county pages.