Bristol County Bankruptcy Records
Bristol County bankruptcy records are public federal court documents filed with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Massachusetts, Eastern Division. Cases from Fall River, New Bedford, Taunton, and every other community in the county are held in Boston. This guide covers how to find and access those records, which courts and offices are involved, and where to get help in Bristol County.
Bristol County Bankruptcy Records at a Glance
Where Bristol County Cases Are Filed
All Bristol County bankruptcy cases go to the Eastern Division of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Massachusetts. The courthouse is at 5 Post Office Square, Suite 1150, Boston, MA 02109. Phone: (617) 748-5300. For after-hours emergency filings, call (617) 748-5317. Regular hours run Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., with filings accepted until 4:30 p.m. The courthouse is about 50 miles north of Fall River and New Bedford, so plan time in your schedule if you need to appear in person.
Bristol County is one of the most active filing counties in the Eastern Division. The county has higher poverty rates than the state average. Fall River sits around 22% poverty. New Bedford is near 20%. That economic stress drives bankruptcy filings well above the statewide norm. The county's transition away from manufacturing over the past few decades left many households with fewer financial buffers when medical bills or job losses hit.
The court locations page at mab.uscourts.gov confirms courthouse addresses, phone numbers, and hours. If you need to contact the clerk about a Bristol County bankruptcy case, reach the Boston office directly. There is no satellite courthouse in Bristol County itself.
How to Search Bristol County Bankruptcy Records
PACER is the main tool for searching Bristol County bankruptcy records online. It stands for Public Access to Court Electronic Records. Register at pacer.uscourts.gov for a free account. Once you are in, search by debtor name, case number, or Social Security number. The system costs $0.10 per page with a $3.00 cap per document. Many users pay nothing because quarterly charges stay under $30.
When you search PACER for a Bristol County case, select the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Massachusetts. The Eastern Division holds all Bristol County filings. You can view dockets, filed documents, creditor matrices, trustee reports, and discharge orders. Documents come as PDFs. This is the most complete and current source for active Bristol County bankruptcy records.
The Voice Case Information System (VCIS) is a free phone alternative. Call 1-866-222-8029 and press 1 for Massachusetts. It runs 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Search by name, case number, or Social Security number. VCIS returns the debtor's name, case number, filing date, chapter type, trustee assigned, judge, 341 meeting date, and discharge date. There's no fee at all. The only limitation is routine maintenance on Monday mornings from about 7:30 to 8:30 a.m.
You can also visit the clerk's office in person at the Boston courthouse. Public terminals are available at no charge for viewing records. Printing costs $0.10 per page. Certified copies of documents cost $12.00 per document. If you are mailing a request, send a cashier's check or money order payable to "Clerk, United States Bankruptcy Court." The search fee for mail requests is $34.00.
Recent Notable Cases: Steward Health Care
One of the largest and most consequential Bristol County bankruptcy cases in recent years involved Steward Health Care. The hospital company filed Chapter 11 in 2024. Two Bristol County hospitals were directly affected: Saint Anne's Hospital in Fall River and Morton Hospital in Taunton. Both were ultimately sold to Lifespan for $175 million as part of the bankruptcy proceedings. The state of Massachusetts contributed a $30 million bridge loan to keep operations going during the sale process. More than 1,000 healthcare workers across the two facilities had their employment status and benefits tied up in the outcome.
The Steward case drew significant local attention because it threatened access to healthcare in communities that already face above-average economic stress. The Rhode Island Current covered the court-ordered sale in detail, including the judge's ruling and timeline.
The coverage above documents the sale approval and the role of Lifespan in the transaction. The case record itself is publicly available through PACER under the Eastern Division of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Massachusetts. Chapter 11 cases like this one generate extensive public filings including the reorganization plan, creditor lists, court orders, and sale motions.
Business bankruptcy cases in Bristol County are not unusual. The decline of the textile and manufacturing industries that once defined Fall River and New Bedford left commercial vacancies and debt that drove filings across multiple decades. Chapter 7 remains the most common type for individuals. Chapter 13 is used by those who want to keep property while paying creditors over three to five years. Chapter 11 is for businesses and individuals with complex reorganizations.
Bristol County State Courts
State courts in Bristol County do not handle bankruptcy cases directly. Bankruptcy is federal law, and the federal court in Boston has exclusive jurisdiction. State courts do come into play, though, in related matters. Foreclosure actions, eviction cases, and civil judgments may run alongside or precede a bankruptcy filing. Knowing where the state courts are can help you navigate the full picture of your situation.
Bristol County has three Superior Court locations. The Fall River courthouse is at 441 North Main Street, Fall River, MA 02720, phone (508) 679-2424. The New Bedford courthouse is at 405 County Street, 7th Floor, New Bedford, MA 02740, phone (508) 997-9461. The Taunton courthouse is at 9 Court Street, Taunton, MA 02780, phone (508) 822-6505. District courts serve each of the county's major communities as well. The Fall River District Court is at 45 Rock Street, Fall River, MA 02720, phone (508) 675-7461. New Bedford District Court is at 75 North 6th Street, New Bedford, MA 02740, phone (508) 993-5959. Taunton District Court is at 120 Cohannet Street, Taunton, MA 02780, phone (508) 823-5329.
State court records are separate from bankruptcy records. If you need civil case records from Bristol County Superior Court or district courts, contact those offices directly or use the Massachusetts Trial Court's online system.
Legal Aid and Attorney Resources in Bristol County
South Coastal Counties Legal Services (SCCLS) is the primary free legal aid provider for Bristol County. They serve low-income residents in civil matters including bankruptcy. The Fall River office is at 22 Bedford Street, Fall River, MA 02720, phone (508) 676-6265. Intake runs Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Staff speak English, Portuguese, and Spanish, which is important given that large portions of Fall River and New Bedford are Portuguese-speaking communities. The New Bedford office is at 21 South Sixth Street, New Bedford, MA 02740, phone (774) 202-4820, with the same intake hours. You can reach the main SCCLS line at 800-244-9023. Their website is sccls.org.
The Bristol County Bar Association is at 15 Court Street, Taunton, MA 02780. Call (508) 990-1303 or 800-647-5151. They can connect you with attorneys who handle bankruptcy in the county. For a local bankruptcy law firm with offices in both Fall River and New Bedford, Bucacci and Simonian, P.C. has handled Bristol County cases for many years. Their Fall River number is (508) 673-9500 and New Bedford is (508) 993-6700.
The image above is from massbklaw.com, the website for Bucacci and Simonian, P.C. The firm's site provides information about local bankruptcy services and what to expect during the filing process in Bristol County. Attorney consultations are a practical first step for anyone unsure which chapter to file or whether bankruptcy is the right option at all.
For those who want to file without an attorney, the U.S. Bankruptcy Court maintains a debtor information page with forms and guides. As of May 1, 2025, pro se debtors can submit documents by email at prose_filings@mab.uscourts.gov. The court's FAQ page at mab.uscourts.gov/faqs-debtors answers common questions about filing, exemptions, and what happens after discharge.
Exemptions That Apply to Bristol County Filers
When you file bankruptcy in Bristol County, you choose between Massachusetts state exemptions and the federal exemptions set out in 11 U.S.C. § 522. You cannot mix and match. Most filers in Bristol County choose state exemptions because the Massachusetts homestead protection is unusually strong. With a recorded declaration of homestead at the Registry of Deeds, you can protect up to $500,000 in home equity. Without a declaration, the automatic homestead still protects $125,000.
Other Massachusetts exemptions worth knowing: up to $7,500 in vehicle equity (rising to $15,000 for those over 60 or with a disability), up to $15,000 in clothing, up to $15,000 in household furniture, and up to $5,000 in tools of your trade. Retirement accounts from public employment are fully exempt under state law. IRAs are protected up to $1,362,800 under federal rules even when you choose state exemptions. These limits matter most to Bristol County filers who own property or have built up retirement savings while carrying high debt.
The automatic stay under 11 U.S.C. § 362 takes effect the moment you file. It stops collection calls, wage garnishment, lawsuits, and foreclosure proceedings while the case is open. For Bristol County homeowners facing foreclosure, the stay can provide immediate breathing room to assess options. And under 11 U.S.C. § 523, certain debts survive discharge regardless of chapter. These include most student loans, child support, recent tax debts, and debts from fraud. Knowing what can and cannot be discharged matters before you commit to filing.
The discharge rules for Chapter 7 fall under 11 U.S.C. § 727. A court can deny discharge if a debtor hid assets, made fraudulent transfers, or failed to cooperate with the trustee. Honest filers who meet the requirements receive a discharge order that becomes part of the permanent public record in their case.
What Bristol County Bankruptcy Records Contain
A Bristol County bankruptcy case file typically includes the voluntary petition, schedules of assets and liabilities, a statement of financial affairs, the creditor matrix, any motions filed during the case, trustee reports, and the final discharge order or dismissal. In Chapter 13 cases you will also find the repayment plan, confirmation order, and trustee disbursement records. Chapter 11 business cases generate the most paperwork, often hundreds of documents over years of proceedings.
Personal information is partially redacted. Full Social Security numbers are masked to the last four digits. Full financial account numbers are removed. Names of minor children are replaced with initials. Court records are otherwise open to the public. You do not need to be a party to the case to search or view records. No reason is required. This is federal court, and access is a right under federal law. The Massachusetts state law page on bankruptcy provides additional context on how state law intersects with federal bankruptcy proceedings for residents of Bristol County.
Browse Nearby Counties and Cities
Nearby Counties
- Plymouth County Bankruptcy Records
- Norfolk County Bankruptcy Records
- Barnstable County Bankruptcy Records
Cities in Bristol County
The following qualifying cities in Bristol County have dedicated bankruptcy records pages: