Once your bankruptcy case concludes, you will receive what is known as a bankruptcy discharge which states that all dischargeable debts are no longer enforceable. Creditors whose debts are discharged in the petition can no longer contact you about your debt or file any legal proceedings against you. It is very important to keep this document as you may need to present it should you apply for a home or even a car loan in the future. However, if you have misplaced your discharge documents, you can still obtain a copy if you need it for any reason. If you loose or misplace the document your bankruptcy lawyer may have a copy in her file. If you need copies of the document, there may be a fee as well, depending upon where you get the copies. Copies of the document are often charged per page and for the amount of time it takes to get the file from the archives so a copy can be made for you. If it has been many years, the case may have been archived, so additional fees may apply, please see the following:
Bankruptcy cases are filed electronically and anyone will have access to those records. They are stored in the PACER case locator. There is a fee of 10 cents a page to view a document. Case dockets are processed in the various bankruptcy courts. You should find the federal district where the person who needs their case lives if you are looking to see the document in person. When records and case files are eligible for a permanent stay they will go to the NARA (National Records and Archives Administration). Records can be accessed from here with a $64 fee. These files can be helpful if you’d like to open a business with someone but haven’t known them for long, and you can check their financial history to assure you’re making a good decision.