Haines Borough Bankruptcy Records
Haines Borough bankruptcy records are federal court files held by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Alaska. All Chapter 7, 11, 12, and 13 cases from Haines get filed in Anchorage at the federal courthouse. You can search Haines Borough bankruptcy records online through PACER, by phone through McVCIS at no cost, or in person at the Anchorage clerk's office. The borough clerk in Haines handles local municipal records, while all bankruptcy filings remain in the federal system. This page covers where to look, who to call, and what tools are available to find case information.
Haines Borough Bankruptcy Overview
Where Haines Borough Bankruptcy Cases Are Filed
Haines Borough sits in the First Judicial District of Alaska. All bankruptcy cases from Haines go to the federal court in Anchorage, not the local state court. That is true for everyone in the state. The U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Alaska handles every Chapter 7, 11, 12, and 13 filing in Alaska. The court is at 605 W. 4th Avenue, Suite 138, Anchorage, AK 99501. You can call the clerk at (907) 271-2655 or use the in-state toll free line at 1-800-859-8059.
The local Haines Court handles state civil and criminal matters. It is a magistrate court. State cases there cover misdemeanors, small claims up to $10,000, traffic violations, and preliminary felony hearings. But bankruptcy is a federal matter and does not go through the Haines Court at all. The Haines Court is managed by Haines staff with a part-time clerk who also covers Skagway. Customer service is at (907) 766-2801. The mailing address is Box 169, Haines, AK 99827. Fax for record requests is (907) 766-3148.
The Haines Borough Administration Office is at 103 3rd Avenue S., Haines, AK 99827. The main phone is (907) 766-2231. The borough clerk handles municipal public records under Alaska Statute AS 40.25, which is the Alaska Public Records Act. You can send written or email records requests to the clerk during business hours. The borough clerk does not hold bankruptcy filings, those are all in the federal system.
The Haines Borough also includes Chilkoot Indian Association, which runs a tribal court for its members. Tribal court matters are separate from both state and federal bankruptcy proceedings.
Note: The borough clerk in Haines handles local municipal records, but all bankruptcy filings from Haines go directly to the federal court in Anchorage.
Haines Borough Administration and Local Resources
The Haines Borough website is the starting point for local government information and public records requests. The administration office is open Monday through Friday during regular business hours.
If you need local municipal records or want to track down borough filings that may tie into a bankruptcy case, the admin office is the right place to call. Written or email requests work well for anything not available online.
The borough uses a standard records retention schedule under Alaska law. Borough Code and records forms are available from the clerk's office directly. Keep in mind that AS 40.25 gives the public a right to access most borough records, though some documents may be restricted under exemptions.
For the local state court, the Haines Court image below shows the courthouse that handles non-bankruptcy legal matters in the area.
This court at courts.alaska.gov/courtdir/1ha.htm handles state level civil and criminal filings. If you are trying to find related civil judgments or liens tied to a Haines bankruptcy case, you can search the Alaska Court System's CourtView tool at records.courts.alaska.gov for free. Records in CourtView go back to about 1990.
Note: The Haines magistrate court handles misdemeanors and small claims but has no role in bankruptcy proceedings, which are federal in nature.
Search Haines Bankruptcy Records Online
PACER is the main tool for looking up Haines Borough bankruptcy records online. PACER stands for Public Access to Court Electronic Records. You set up a free account at pacer.uscourts.gov and then search by name or case number. Each page you view costs $0.10, capped at 30 pages per document. If your total charges in a quarter are under $30, the fee is waived. More detail on the fee structure is at akb.uscourts.gov/pacer.
PACER gives you access to dockets, case summaries, filed documents, and hearing schedules. You can search across all federal courts using the PACER Case Locator if you are not sure which court holds the case. For Alaska, you go directly to the District of Alaska filing system once you know the case is here.
The free phone option is McVCIS. Call 1-866-222-8029 toll free or (907) 271-2658 locally in Anchorage. The system runs 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It gives you debtor name, case number, trustee name, and case status. You search by name or case number. No login needed and no fees. It is a quick way to confirm whether a case exists before you pay for PACER access.
For cases filed since January 2000, you can also walk into the clerk's office in Anchorage and view them on public terminals at no charge. Cases filed before 2000 are held by the National Archives and Records Administration in Seattle. You would need the case number from the clerk before requesting anything from NARA.
Alaska Bankruptcy Laws for Haines Filers
Haines Borough residents who file bankruptcy can choose between Alaska state exemptions and the federal exemption set. Most people in Alaska use the state exemptions because the homestead amount is higher. Under Alaska Statute AS 09.38.010 through AS 09.38.510 (the Alaska Exemptions Act), the homestead exemption is $72,900. The federal homestead is only $31,575. You must have lived in Alaska for at least 730 days before filing to use the state exemptions. That rule comes from 11 U.S.C. § 522(b)(3).
Other Alaska exemptions cover a motor vehicle up to $4,050. Household goods, clothing, and books are protected up to $4,050. Tools of the trade get $3,780. The Permanent Fund Dividend is exempt up to $1,500 per person. There is no wildcard exemption under Alaska law, unlike the federal system.
Venue for filing in Alaska requires living here for 180 days under 28 U.S.C. § 1408. If you have not been in Alaska for the full 730 days needed to use state exemptions, look back to where you lived most of the prior 180 days. These rules matter if you recently moved to Haines from another state.
Alaska was the first state to pass a Domestic Asset Protection Trust law, now at AS 34.40.110. The Alaska Trust Act lets self-settled trusts hold assets with some creditor protection. Fraudulent transfers have a four year look back. These tools interact with bankruptcy in ways most people need a lawyer to navigate.
Credit Counseling Requirements
Anyone who files bankruptcy as an individual must complete a credit counseling course first. The rule is at 11 U.S.C. § 109(h). You must finish the class within 180 days before you file. The course takes one to two hours and costs between $10 and $50. Fee waivers are available for low income filers. After your debts get discharged, you also have to complete a pre-discharge debtor education course, which runs about two hours and costs $50 to $100.
Only agencies approved by the U.S. Trustee can provide these classes for Alaska filers. The current list is at justice.gov. Alaska falls under Region 18. Approved providers include Consumer Debt Counselors, InCharge Debt Solutions, Money Management International, and Springboard Nonprofit Consumer Credit Management. Most offer online and phone options, which matters for Haines residents given the remote location.
Keep the certificate you get after completing the counseling class. You have to file it with your bankruptcy paperwork. If you do not include it, the case will not go forward. The same applies to the debtor education certificate at the end of the process.
Note: Haines residents can complete the required credit counseling course by phone or online, so distance from Anchorage is not a barrier to getting started.
Legal Help for Haines Borough Residents
Alaska Legal Services Corporation is the main source of free civil legal help in the state. ALSC has 11 offices across Alaska. Toll free intake is 1-888-478-2572. ALSC offers a free bankruptcy class in Anchorage and Fairbanks that teaches how to file Chapter 7 paperwork on your own. Classes are by appointment. Call (907) 452-5181 to set one up. Income limits apply, generally up to 125 percent of federal poverty guidelines. Seniors are usually exempt from the income test. Visit alsc-law.org for details.
The Alaska Bar Association runs a Lawyer Referral Service at (907) 272-0352 or 1-800-770-9999. More info at alaskabar.org. The first half hour of consult is capped at $125. The bar lists lawyers by area, including bankruptcy. All lawyers in the program are active members in good standing. You get up to three names to call, and you mention the referral when you call to get the reduced rate.
Alaska Free Legal Answers is a free online clinic at alaska.freelegalanswers.org. Low income users can post up to three civil legal questions per year. Licensed Alaska lawyers respond within about five to seven business days. Bankruptcy and consumer debt questions are welcome. You do not need to travel anywhere to use the service.
The U.S. Trustee for Alaska falls under Region 18, based in Seattle. The acting trustee is Jonas V. Anderson. The office reviews cases for fraud, runs 341 meetings of creditors, and oversees trustees. Most 341 meetings for Chapter 7, 12, and 13 cases now happen by Zoom. You get the video details after you file. More at justice.gov/ust/ust-regions-r18.
Nearby Alaska Boroughs
Haines Borough sits in the Southeast Alaska panhandle. Nearby boroughs and census areas with their own pages include: