Cases filed in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Kentucky are retained for a period after they are closed, and are then shipped for storage to the NARA (National Archives & Records Administration) for the Southeast Region (Atlanta, Georgia).  With the exception of Chapter 12 filings, cases that were filed prior to 1996 have been by destroyed by the NARA, and copies are no longer available from the NARA or the Court.

The NARA provides copies of documents filed before August 15, 2002 in closed Chapter 13 and Chapter 7 cases directly to those requesting copies; ordering copies directly from the NARA is generally the quickest and least expensive way in which to acquire copies of documents in closed cases. Phone orders are not accepted, but you may request copies by mail, by fax (using a major credit card) or online using Order Online!, the NARA's Internet ordering system (Internet orders also require a major credit card).

For information on how to order copies directly from the NARA,  use the links provided to access the NARA's Information  Regarding Access to Bankruptcy Records and the Request for Bankruptcy Case File Copies form (which also includes instructions for ordering copies).  The request form is in PDF format and you will need the free Adobe Acrobat Reader to view the document. The Adobe Acrobat Reader can be obtained from www.adobe.com.

Before you order copies: To order copies from the NARA, you will first need some basic information concerning the case, including the case number, transfer number, location number and box number. To obtain this information, click here to obtain the information regarding the case from the Court's Federal Records Center Closed Cases Search Program. 

Alternatively, you may request retrieval of the case by the Court by calling 502-627-5700. Please note that a retrieval fee of $53.00 and additional fees of $.50 per page for copies of documents will apply.   

For cases and documents filed on or after August 15, 2002, copies are not available through the NARA. If you are a PACER user, you may access copies of documents directly through PACER; alternatively, please contact the Court at 502-627-5700 to obtain copies of these cases/documents.