Garfield County Bankruptcy Filings and Records
Garfield County bankruptcy records are maintained by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court, District of Utah, the federal court that processes every bankruptcy case in the state. Garfield County is located in southern Utah, near Bryce Canyon and Grand Staircase-Escalante, with Panguitch as its county seat. The Sixth District Court handles state civil matters for Garfield County. To search for bankruptcy case filings from this county, use PACER for online access or contact the federal courthouse directly. This page covers all available methods.
Garfield County Quick Facts
Garfield County and the U.S. Bankruptcy Court
The U.S. Bankruptcy Court, District of Utah covers all 29 Utah counties from one central location. The courthouse address is 350 S Main St, Salt Lake City, UT 84101. Call 801-524-6687 for the clerk's office. Chief Judge Honorable Peggy Hunt leads the district. David A. Sime is clerk of court. There is no federal bankruptcy courthouse located in Garfield County or elsewhere in southern Utah.
Garfield County residents and businesses have access to all standard bankruptcy chapters. Chapter 7 is the liquidation chapter where non-exempt assets are used to pay creditors before debts are discharged. Chapter 13 allows individuals to keep their property while repaying debts over three to five years. Chapter 11 helps businesses reorganize. Chapter 12 was designed for family farmers and fishermen. Given that Garfield County includes ranching and agricultural land, Chapter 12 may be relevant to some local filers.
The U.S. Bankruptcy Court, District of Utah is the single federal court that accepts and maintains all Garfield County bankruptcy filings.
Note: No local courthouse in Garfield County holds federal bankruptcy case files. All filings go to Salt Lake City, but online access through PACER means you rarely need to travel there.
How to Search Garfield County Bankruptcy Records
PACER gives you the most complete access to Garfield County bankruptcy case information. Register at pacer.uscourts.gov or call 800-676-6856. After creating an account, you can search the Utah district court by debtor name, case number, Social Security number, or employer ID. Each search returns a case summary showing the chapter type, filing date, judge, trustee, and a full docket of all filed documents. Per-page fees apply when you download documents.
The PACER Case Locator at pcl.uscourts.gov searches all federal courts nationwide. If you need to confirm that a Garfield County debtor filed in Utah rather than another state, the Locator handles that search quickly. Basic name searches are free.
For Garfield County state court records including civil, probate, and domestic cases, the Utah Courts XChange system at utcourts.gov/xchange provides online access to the Sixth District Court dockets. XChange is separate from PACER and covers only state court cases, not federal bankruptcy filings. Using both systems together gives the most complete picture of a person or business's court history in Garfield County.
Garfield County Courthouse and Local Offices
The Garfield County Clerk is located at 55 S Main, Panguitch, UT 84759. You can reach the Clerk by email at Camille.moore@garfield.utah.gov. The Clerk maintains county-level records including marriage licenses and county commission meeting minutes. These records are subject to GRAMA requests and are separate from the federal bankruptcy case files held in Salt Lake City.
The Sixth District Court in the region handles divorce, probate, and civil matters for Garfield County. If you need court records tied to a state case that intersects with a bankruptcy, such as a probate proceeding or property dispute, contact the Clerk of District Court at the Sixth District. The Garfield County Clerk can provide contact information for the district court if you need it.
The Utah Bankruptcy Court's case information page at utb.uscourts.gov explains all methods for obtaining Garfield County bankruptcy case files, from PACER downloads to in-person requests.
Note: The Garfield County Clerk email address listed above is the direct contact for county-maintained records. For state court case files, contact the Sixth District Court directly.
Phone Access to Garfield County Bankruptcy Case Status
McVCIS is a free automated phone line for checking Garfield County bankruptcy case information. Call 866-222-8029 ext. 83 at any hour, seven days a week. The system reads back the debtor name, case number, chapter type, filing date, and current case status. No PACER account is needed.
This service works well for a quick check on whether a case is active, discharged, or dismissed. You need either the debtor name or case number to pull up information. The CHAPMobile app on smartphones provides similar quick-access features if you prefer a screen-based interface over a phone call.
For complete document access to a Garfield County bankruptcy filing, you still need to use PACER or visit the federal courthouse at 350 S Main St, Salt Lake City. Call 801-524-6687 to confirm clerk hours before making the trip from southern Utah.
PACER and XChange for Garfield County Records Research
Researchers looking into a Garfield County debtor's full financial history often need both PACER and XChange. PACER covers federal bankruptcy filings. XChange covers Utah state court records. Together they give you a complete view of any civil and financial litigation tied to a Garfield County individual or business.
The PACER Case Locator searches all federal courts and is especially useful when confirming that a Garfield County case was filed in the Utah district rather than elsewhere.
The Utah Courts forms page at utcourts.gov/howto/divorce provides procedural guides for Utah state courts. Garfield County residents who need to navigate state court processes alongside a bankruptcy case can find useful forms and step-by-step instructions there.
The Utah Courts how-to section supports Garfield County residents navigating state court filings that may run alongside or follow from a federal bankruptcy case.
Public Records Access in Garfield County
Federal bankruptcy records are open to the public under federal court rules. Anyone with a PACER account can view Garfield County case dockets and most filed documents. Personal data like Social Security numbers is redacted in public copies under Federal Rule of Bankruptcy Procedure 9037. Full versions are available only to parties in the case with proper court authorization.
State records held by Garfield County offices fall under the Utah Government Records Access and Management Act, GRAMA, at Utah Code 63G-2. Submit a GRAMA request to the Garfield County Clerk at 55 S Main, Panguitch, UT 84759 or email Camille.moore@garfield.utah.gov. Describe the records you need clearly. The office has 10 business days to respond under state law.
Federal Rule 5003 requires the bankruptcy court clerk to keep complete records of all cases. This rule governs how Garfield County bankruptcy filings are stored and made available to the public. It ensures that case records remain accessible through PACER long after a case closes.
Note: GRAMA applies only to records held by Garfield County or Utah state offices. Federal bankruptcy records are governed by federal rules, not GRAMA.
Nearby Counties
Garfield County is surrounded by several other southern Utah counties. All use the same federal bankruptcy court in Salt Lake City. If your research spans multiple counties in the region, PACER and the PACER Case Locator can search across all Utah counties without separate logins or requests.