Understanding the court docket in your case
The docket is the court's official record of everything that has happened in your case. Learning to read it gives you direct access to your case status without relying solely on your attorney.
What is on the docket
- Petition and schedules -- Your initial filing documents
- Proofs of claim -- Claims filed by your creditors
- Court orders -- Every order entered by the judge
- Motions -- Requests filed by any party (your attorney, creditors, the trustee)
- Notices -- Meeting dates, deadlines, discharge notices
- Fee disclosures -- Your attorney's disclosed compensation
How to access the docket
PACER (pacer.uscourts.gov) provides online access to bankruptcy court dockets. You need a free PACER account. Documents cost $0.10 per page with a $3.00 cap per document. You can also visit the clerk's office in person.
Key docket entries to look for
- Claims filed vs. claims scheduled -- Compare what creditors claim against what your schedules list
- Deadlines -- The claims bar date, discharge deadline, and plan confirmation date
- Trustee reports -- The trustee's report of no distribution (Chapter 7) or plan progress (Chapter 13)
- Attorney fee disclosures -- Compare to what you actually paid
Free alternative: The RECAP Archive at courtlistener.com/recap provides free access to millions of PACER documents that have been previously purchased and donated to the public domain.
Related Topics
This site is free and open-source. Donations support the Open Bankruptcy Project, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit (determination pending), funding PACER access fees and bankruptcy court transparency research.
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