Middlesex County, Connecticut

Which bankruptcy court hears a case from Middlesex County?

The U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Connecticut states in its "Where To File" guidance that Middlesex and New Haven counties file with the New Haven Bankruptcy Court. That is the division-level assignment, and because the court publishes no Middlesex-specific rule or order, the New Haven Division and district-wide material is what applies to a Middlesex County case.

Where you file is a separate question from where you live. Venue under 28 U.S.C. § 1408 looks to the district in which your domicile, residence, principal place of business in the United States, or principal assets in the United States were located for the 180 days immediately before filing — or for a longer portion of that period than any other district. A recent move across a state line, or a business or principal assets elsewhere, can therefore point somewhere other than Connecticut. District courts hold original and exclusive jurisdiction over cases under title 11 (28 U.S.C. § 1334).

• Middlesex County → New Haven Bankruptcy Court, District of Connecticut.
• A voluntary case begins when the petition is filed, and that filing is itself the order for relief (11 U.S.C. § 301).

What does this court require of someone filing without a lawyer?

The District of Connecticut publishes material aimed specifically at self-represented filers. Its "Petition Forms for Individuals to File Bankruptcy and Filing Guidelines" page assembles chapter-specific packets for individuals and points filers to separate instructions on bankruptcy forms and on paying the filing fee. A self-represented person may file by mail or in person at the Clerk's Office, according to the court's fee instructions.

That same instruction sheet is unusually specific about money. The court does not accept a debtor's personal check or a debtor's credit card for a petition filing fee. Debtors paying online through the court's Pay.gov page must use a debit card or an ACH bank transfer; the court's Pay.gov guide repeats that a debtor may not use a credit card for filing fees. Money orders and bank checks must be made payable to "Clerk, U.S. Bankruptcy Court" or "Clerk, United States Court," and cash is accepted in person only, in the exact amount, because the Clerk's Office does not make change.

• Filing by mail: do not mail cash; pay through the court's Pay.gov page and include a printed receipt with the petition.
• When no case number exists yet, the court's Pay.gov instructions direct filers to enter 77-77777.

What will the filing fee be, and can it be waived or paid over time?

The federal fee for an individual or joint Chapter 7 case is $245 (28 U.S.C. § 1930(a)(1)(A), (f)(1)), with an additional $78 administrative fee (Bankruptcy Court Miscellaneous Fee Schedule, Item 8) and a $15 trustee surcharge (Bankruptcy Court Miscellaneous Fee Schedule, Item 9). For Chapter 13, the statutory filing fee is $235 (28 U.S.C. § 1930(a)(1)(B)) plus the same $78 administrative fee. The court's own fee page lists each petition total in one place; check it rather than adding figures yourself.

On procedure, the District of Connecticut states that a filing fee is required when you file under Chapter 7 or 13 unless an Application to Pay the Filing Fee in Installments — or, in a Chapter 7 case only, an Application to Have the Chapter 7 Filing Fee Waived — is filed at the same time as the petition. Installments are not automatic; they are granted upon application to the court. A waiver request is conditional under § 1930(f) and Judiciary procedures, and the statutory Chapter 7 waiver has no Chapter 13 equivalent.

How does the meeting of creditors work in this district?

The meeting itself is federal. Within a reasonable time after the order for relief, the United States trustee convenes and presides at a meeting of creditors (11 U.S.C. § 341(a)). The judge may not preside at or attend it. Before the meeting closes, the trustee must orally examine a Chapter 7 debtor to confirm they understand the consequences of seeking a discharge, the option of filing under a different chapter, the effect of a discharge, and the effect of reaffirming a debt. A creditor holding a consumer debt may appear and participate without an attorney.

What this district adds is a document deadline. Under Local Bankruptcy Rule 4002-1, a Chapter 7 debtor must deliver the documents listed in Appendix I to the trustee no later than seven days before the first scheduled meeting, and a Chapter 13 debtor must deliver the Appendix J documents on the same timetable. Pay stubs are not filed with the court; they go to the trustee on that same seven-day schedule. The rule states that failing to provide these documents may constitute cause for dismissal.

• Documents must be legible and in the form the trustee reasonably requests.
• If a document applies but is unavailable, tell the trustee why and supply it as soon as you can.

What local rules and orders change the process here?

Several district-wide rules shape a consumer case from the first filing. Local Bankruptcy Rule 1007-1 requires a Creditor List covering all creditors and parties-in-interest to be filed with every voluntary petition, in two forms: a PDF and a ".txt" upload to the case's creditor table. Business-entity addresses must carry an attention line to a President, Officer, Director, Manager, or General Agent. Failure to file a compliant Creditor List may result in dismissal after notice of the deficiency and a failure to cure.

Chapter 13 is the most form-driven. Local Bankruptcy Rule 3015-2 requires every Chapter 13 plan to use the Local Form Chapter 13 Plan in Appendix E, and the court publishes both a fillable and a printable version plus a matching local certificate of service. Objections to confirmation are due no later than seven days before the confirmation hearing, and unless the court orders otherwise the hearing may be held not earlier than 20 days and not later than 45 days after the first date set for the § 341(a) meeting. The debtor, or counsel, must appear at it.

• Local Bankruptcy Rule 1017-1: no debtor may maintain more than one bankruptcy petition at the same time absent a court order.
• Local Bankruptcy Rule 9083-5: a self-represented filer must file notice of any change of mailing address within seven days.
• Local Bankruptcy Rule 1009-1 and the court's amendments guide govern corrections to schedules, statements and creditor lists.

Which Connecticut questions should you settle before filing?

Two sets of questions decide different things, and it helps to keep them apart. The federal Code and the District of Connecticut's local rules govern where the case goes and what you must file. Separately, Connecticut law governs which property you can claim as exempt, on what conditions, and how much of your wages a creditor can reach before a filing.

This packet of court sources does not carry Connecticut's exemption schedule, homestead conditions or wage-protection figures, so this page cannot answer those from the supplied sources — that is a limit of this page's evidence, not a statement about what the law provides. Our Connecticut pages cover the exemption-list choice, homestead conditions and wage protection with their own citations. Settle them before you file rather than after, because 11 U.S.C. § 521 requires you to schedule your assets and claim exemptions as part of the opening paperwork, and the court's own amendments guidance treats a later change as a formal amendment with its own cover sheet and service obligations.

• Your schedules are signed under penalty of perjury; get the asset and exemption entries right the first time where you can.
• A later amendment may require a fee and may trigger new deadlines for an added creditor.

Where can a Middlesex County resident get help?

Start with the court's own published material, because it is free and it is authoritative for this district. The Petition Forms for Individuals page carries chapter-specific packets, the Local Forms page lists every court-approved local form, and the Local Rules of Bankruptcy Procedure page carries the current rules and appendices. The court's fee page lists finance@ctb.uscourts.gov for questions about filing fees and payment options, and the Pay.gov guide gives 860-240-3675 for payment assistance.

Court guidance is explicit about its own limits. The District of Connecticut's amendments guide states that it is provided for informational purposes only, is not legal advice, and may not be cited as legal authority — and that where it conflicts with the law or rules, the law and rules control. The same is true of this page. If you want a second read on your own facts, Arthur, the Bankruptcy.law AI Navigator, can walk through what the rules require and build a roadmap, and if you ask for it, pass your details to a local firm.

• Local Bankruptcy Rule 9083-6 provides for a pro bono panel and referral of pro bono counsel in this district.

Frequently asked questions

Do I file in New Haven if I live in Middlesex County?

Yes. The District of Connecticut's "Where To File" guidance states that Middlesex and New Haven counties file with the New Haven Bankruptcy Court. Venue is still governed by 28 U.S.C. § 1408, which looks at where your domicile, residence, principal place of business or principal assets were for the greater part of the 180 days before filing.

Can I pay the Connecticut filing fee with a credit card?

Not as a self-represented debtor. The court's fee instructions state that credit cards are not accepted from self-represented individuals for petition filing fees, and that a debtor's personal check is not accepted either. The court's Pay.gov guide directs debtors to pay by debit card or ACH bank transfer; money orders, bank checks and exact cash in person are also listed.

Is there a Connecticut Chapter 13 plan form I have to use?

Yes. Local Bankruptcy Rule 3015-2 requires all Chapter 13 plans to be filed using the Local Form Chapter 13 Plan in Appendix E. The court publishes fillable and printable versions along with a local certificate of service form and filing instructions, and its guide to subsections (c) and (d) explains who must be served and when the certificate is due.

What do I have to give the trustee before the 341 meeting?

Local Bankruptcy Rule 4002-1 requires Chapter 7 debtors to deliver the documents in Appendix I, and Chapter 13 debtors those in Appendix J, no later than seven days before the first scheduled creditors' meeting, along with any applicable Domestic Support Obligation and Personal Injury Information forms. The rule states that failing to provide them may constitute cause for dismissal.

Will a judge be at my meeting of creditors?

No. Under 11 U.S.C. § 341(c), the court may not preside at or attend any meeting under that section. The United States trustee convenes and presides, and in a Chapter 7 case the trustee must orally examine the debtor about the consequences of a discharge, the option of a different chapter, and the effect of reaffirming a debt.

How long does bankruptcy stay on a credit report?

Under 15 U.S.C. § 1681c(a)(1), a consumer reporting agency generally may not report a case under title 11 that antedates the report by more than 10 years, measured from the date of entry of the order for relief. An agency reporting a title 11 case must also identify which chapter it arose under, if the source provided that.

Sources

• U.S. Bankruptcy Court, District of Connecticut, "Where To File": "Middlesex and New Haven counties file with the New Haven Bankruptcy Court."
• 28 U.S.C. § 1408 — Venue of cases under title 11
• 28 U.S.C. § 1334 — Bankruptcy cases and proceedings
• 11 U.S.C. § 301 — Voluntary cases
• 11 U.S.C. § 341 — Meetings of creditors and equity security holders · official source
• 11 U.S.C. § 521 — Debtor's duties · official source
• 15 U.S.C. § 1681c — Requirements relating to information contained in consumer reports
• CTB Instructions for Paying the Bankruptcy Case (Petition) Filing Fee for Self-Represented Debtors
• CTB official page — Petition Forms for Individuals to File Bankruptcy and Filing Guidelines
• CTB official page — Fees
• CTB Payment - How to Submit Payment for Filing and Service Fees via Pay.gov
• D. Conn. Bankr. L. R. 4002-1
• D. Conn. Bankr. L. R. 1007-1
• D. Conn. Bankr. L. R. 1009-1
• D. Conn. Bankr. L. R. 1017-1
• D. Conn. Bankr. L. R. 3015-2
• D. Conn. Bankr. L. R. 9083-5
• CTB official page — Local Form Chapter 13 Plan and Certificate of Service
• CTB Guide to Subsections (c) & (d) of Local Rule 3015-2
• CTB Guide to Amending Bankruptcy Schedules, Statements, or Lists
• CTB official page — Local Forms
• CTB official page — Local Rules of Bankruptcy Procedure

Related

• Find your local bankruptcy court
• Wage Garnishment in Connecticut: What the Law Says and What Bankruptcy Changes
• The 341 Meeting of Creditors: What Actually Happens
• Build your personalised roadmap
• Find a Bankruptcy Lawyer by State
• Statutes and rules library

What it costs to file here

Chapter 7 — total court charges at filing

$338

28 U.S.C. § 1930(a)(1)(A), (f)(1); Bankruptcy Court Miscellaneous Fee Schedule, Item 8; Bankruptcy Court Miscellaneous Fee Schedule, Item 9

Chapter 13 — total court charges at filing

$313

28 U.S.C. § 1930(a)(1)(B); Bankruptcy Court Miscellaneous Fee Schedule, Item 8

Court charges only. What a lawyer charges is separate and varies by district and by case. Estimate the full cost →

Connecticut median income

Median annual income, household of one

$84,302

USTP Median Family Income (2026-07-15 period)

The means test compares household income to the published median for the same household size. Being above it is not a bar to filing. Compare your household →