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Filing Without an Attorney

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Retaining an Attorney or Seeking Free Legal Aid (Flyer)

The following resources may assist you in obtaining legal assistance for free or at a reduced rate. Assistance from these organizations may be based upon the availability of resources and/or your income. Aid from the organizations listed below is not guaranteed:

 

Provision of Legal Advice By Court Personnel Prohibited

THE JUDGES, JUDGES’ STAFF, CLERK, OR CLERK'S STAFF are not permitted to provide legal advice, assist you with the preparation of your petition, schedules, or other documents, provide you with attorney recommendations, or speak with you about the substance of your case in an ex parte communication (which means without the other side present).

Information on this page is not intended to be a substitute for legal advice. Legal advice can only be provided by an attorney. Only individuals (including married couples) can file bankruptcy or appear before the court without a lawyer. 

Self-represented parties may use this page to access some information about the bankruptcy process and some required local procedures. This page does not contain all information about requirements applicable to bankruptcy cases. Please review all the pages of this Court's website for additional information. Basic filing information is available on the Filing Requirements page but must not be construed as legal advice.

 

Appropriate Courtroom Attire & Conduct

You will be required to present photo identification anytime you enter a federal courthouse. You must always dress in a manner demonstrating respect for the court. Traditional business attire is appropriate; jeans, shorts, and t-shirts are not. Electronic devices, including cell phones, are not permitted in the federal courthouses.
 

Requirements Before Filing

Self-represented debtors should review the following before filing anything with the court:

 

Self-represented debtors must also comply with applicable provisions of the Bankruptcy Code, Bankruptcy Rules and Local Rules of the Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Florida, just as if they were represented by an attorney. Failure to do so can result in dismissal of the case or other sanctions:

 

Electronic Filing Policy for Self-Represented Debtors

The U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Florida does not allow self-represented debtors access to file documents electronically through the CM/ECF system unless an exception has been ordered by the Chief Bankruptcy Judge. Barring exceptions, filings from self-represented debtors must be emailed, faxed, mailed to the Tallahassee Division, presented at at the Tallahassee or Pensacola Intake Counter, or placed in the Drop Box in the Tallahassee or Pensacola divisional offices.  Documents are not accepted for filing at the District Court Clerk’s Office in Gainesville.  Use only one of these filing methods to prevent duplicate filings or cases.

Email to:  Filings@flnb.uscourts.gov
Fax to: 850-521-5004
Mail to:  U.S. Bankruptcy Court, 110 E. Park Ave., Ste. 100, Tallahassee, FL 32301

See additional instructions at https://www.flnb.uscourts.gov/news/covid-19-court-operations-update.  

Documents may be viewed by anyone online by signing up for a “View” PACER account. Per the Electronic Public Access Fee Schedule, “No fee is owed for electronic access to court data or audio files via PACER until an account holder accrues charges of more than $30.00 in a quarterly billing cycle.” Cases may also be accessed for free using computer terminals located in the Tallahassee, Pensacola, and Gainesville courthouse lobbies. In addition to viewing electronic case files, self-represented debtors may receive notices produced by the court electronically by signing up for PACER’s Electronic Bankruptcy Noticing (EBN) program. Contact EBN Customer Service at 877-837-3424 if you have questions.
 

Forms

You must use the federal and local required forms that are available from the Clerk's Office, the Court's web site, or by clicking the below links. DO NOT use any other forms; they may be from a different court or may be old forms that have been replaced by updated versions:

 

List of Creditors

Click here for complete instructions for creating the required list of creditors in mailing matrix format.

 

Where to File Your Documents

Unless otherwise ordered, you may mail original, signed documents to:

U.S. Bankruptcy Court
110 East Park Avenue, Suite 100
Tallahassee, Florida 32301

You may also deliver documents in person during business hours (9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Local Time) on days that the court is open to the Tallahassee or Pensacola divisions of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Florida:

U.S. Bankruptcy Court
110 East Park Avenue, Suite 100
Tallahassee, Florida 32301

U.S. Bankruptcy Court*
100 North Palafox Street
Pensacola, Florida 32502

*The above address for the Pensacola Division is for personal deliveries during business hours only. Mail cannot be processed in Pensacola. Mail must be sent to the Tallahassee divisional office.
 

 

Informational Handouts

General Information
Filing Fees
Obtaining Legal Assistance
Online Resources
Reaffirmation Agreements
Where to File Your Papers