Find Medina County Bankruptcy Records

Medina County bankruptcy records are filed through the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Ohio, Akron Division. The county seat is Medina. PACER is the fastest way to search for a bankruptcy case tied to this county. You can also use the free McVCIS phone line or visit the Akron courthouse in person. The Medina County Clerk of Courts keeps local court records that sometimes connect to bankruptcy filings, including liens, judgments, and property disputes. This page explains how to find these records, what they contain, and where to get copies.

Medina County Bankruptcy Court Details

Medina County is part of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Ohio, Akron Division. All bankruptcy filings for Medina County residents go through this federal court. The Akron office is in the John F. Seiberling Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse at 2 South Main Street, Akron, Ohio 44308. Call (330) 252-6100 for questions. Hours are Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. There is no public parking lot at the Seiberling Courthouse, so bring cash or coins for nearby metered parking.

David B. Wadsworth serves as the Medina County Clerk of Courts. The Legal Division is at 225 East Washington Street in the Medina County Courthouse, Medina, Ohio 44256. The phone number is 330-725-9722. Fax numbers are 330-764-8454 for criminal matters and 234-343-0020 for civil matters. Hours run Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The Clerk does not process bankruptcy cases but does keep liens, judgments, and other Common Pleas Court records that may come up in a bankruptcy.

The Clerk of Courts is an elected position in Medina County. The Legal Division serves as the custodian of all legal records filed in the Medina County Common Pleas Court. The office also runs the Auto Title Division, with locations in Medina, Brunswick, and Wadsworth. Court dockets and documents are available through the website, along with online payments and e-filing options.

As of April 1, 2025, Medina County no longer accepts fax filings. Email filings are now accepted for the Common Pleas General and Appellate Divisions. Only attached PDF files are processed. The body of the email will not be seen by staff. Domestic Relations filings go to mccc-drefiling@medinacounty.gov.

The Medina Municipal Court handles traffic and misdemeanor cases in the county.

How to Search Medina County Bankruptcy Records

PACER is the main tool for searching Medina County bankruptcy records online. Create a free account and search by name, case number, or Social Security Number. The cost is $0.10 per page, capped at $3.00 per document. If you use less than $30 in a quarter, you pay nothing. Court opinions are always free.

Use the PACER Case Locator if you don't know which court handled a specific filing. It updates each night and searches every federal court. For phone access, call the McVCIS line at (866) 222-8029. It costs nothing and runs 24 hours a day. Say "Ohio" then say "Ohio Northern" to search Northern District cases tied to Medina County. You can make up to 5 queries per call.

In-person access is available at the Akron courthouse. Public terminals let you view electronic case files at no charge. Prints cost $0.10 per page. Under 11 U.S.C. § 107, bankruptcy records are public and open to review by anyone at reasonable times. You do not need to be a party to the case.

The Medina County Clerk of Courts website lets you search court dockets and print documents online. You can also access forms and make payments through the site.

What Medina County Bankruptcy Records Contain

A bankruptcy case file for a Medina County resident includes many types of documents. The petition starts the case and lists the debtor's name, address, and the chapter being filed. Schedules break down all assets, debts, income, and expenses. Under Fed. R. Bankr. P. 2002, creditors must get at least 21 days notice of the meeting of creditors.

The discharge order is what most people search for. It marks the end of the case and shows which debts have been eliminated. Some debts survive bankruptcy, including student loans, most tax debts, and child support. The case file also holds motions from creditors, court orders, and the trustee's report. Chapter 13 cases include the repayment plan and payment history.

Filers must redact personal data under Fed. R. Bankr. P. 9037. Only partial Social Security numbers, birth years, minors' initials, and last four digits of account numbers appear on public filings. The filer is responsible for redaction. The court does not verify it.

Local Court Records in Medina County

The Medina County Clerk of Courts maintains records across multiple divisions. The Legal Division at the courthouse keeps all Common Pleas Court filings. The Archives Department handles records after a judge issues a ruling. Each record is carefully reviewed for accuracy. Documents filed before 2008 are stored on microfilm or as paper files, either in the Archives Department or at the off-site storage facility. Call (330) 722-9328 for archived record requests.

The Archives Department provides printed copies at $0.10 per page. Certified copies cost an extra $1.00 per page. A 3% fee applies for credit card payments. If you need old divorce decrees, sentencing entries, or other historical documents, this is the office to contact.

Medina County has several municipal courts. The Medina Municipal Court at 135 North Elmwood Avenue, Medina, handles misdemeanors, traffic cases, and small claims. Call (330) 723-3287 or email mmc@medinamunicipalcourt.org. The Wadsworth Municipal Court at 120 Maple Street handles similar cases for the Wadsworth area. Call (330) 335-1596. Brunswick has a Mayor's Court that meets each Tuesday at 5:15 p.m. These courts keep their own records separate from Common Pleas.

Medina County Bankruptcy Filing Fees

Filing fees for bankruptcy in Medina County follow the federal schedule under 28 U.S.C. § 1930. Chapter 7 costs $245. Chapter 13 costs $235. Chapter 11 runs $1,167 for most filers. Chapter 12 is $200 for family farmers and fishermen. These fees go to the bankruptcy court clerk at the time of filing.

Fee waivers are available if you earn less than 150% of the federal poverty line and cannot pay in installments. The court can also approve a payment plan. Payments at the Northern District offices must be made through pay.gov on the same day a transaction is docketed. Credit cards (Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover), cashier's checks, certified checks, and money orders are accepted. Cash is no longer accepted.

PACER copies cost $0.10 per page with a $3.00 cap per document. Archived records from the National Archives at Kansas City cost $0.80 per page with a $20.00 minimum for mail orders.

How to Get Copies of Medina County Bankruptcy Records

For current cases, use PACER. Log in, find the case, and download what you need. Each page costs $0.10, maxing out at $3.00 per document. Court opinions are free. You can also visit the Akron courthouse and use a public terminal for free viewing.

For older Medina County bankruptcy records, cases from before the electronic filing era may only exist on paper. Contact the court or the National Archives. NARA stores all closed bankruptcy case files at the Kansas City facility. To request records, you need the court name, case number, party names, and a time frame. There is no search fee. Email kansascity.archives@nara.gov or call 816-268-8000.

For local Medina County court records, contact the Clerk at 330-725-9722 or visit the courthouse at 225 East Washington Street. The Archives Department at (330) 722-9328 handles older case files. Copies from the Archives are $0.10 per page for plain copies and $1.10 per page for certified copies.

Medina County Bankruptcy Records Research

The Federal Judicial Center Integrated Database is a free research tool with case data for bankruptcy filings from 1970 to the present. It does not have actual documents, but it gives you filing dates, case types, and outcomes. Use it to narrow your search before going to PACER.

Under Fed. R. Bankr. P. 5003, the clerk must keep a docket in each case and record every judgment, order, and activity. The clerk also keeps a claims register when there will be a distribution to unsecured creditors. These rules keep Medina County bankruptcy records complete and available over time.

The Northern District also provides an Archived Cases Search feature for all bankruptcy courts in the district. This tool helps locate cases that have been sent to NARA for long-term storage. It can save time when you need to track down older filings tied to Medina County residents.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Medina County. Check the specific address before searching if you are not sure which county applies.