Bankruptcy.lawBankruptcy.law

Bankruptcy court

Northern District of California

The Northern District of California is the federal bankruptcy court for 15 counties in California, divided into 4 divisions.

Divisions and counties served

Each county below is assigned to a division by the court’s own order or local rule.

Bankruptcy venue is governed by 28 U.S.C. § 1408, not by county alone. It can rest on domicile, residence, a principal place of business, or principal assets in the United States, measured over the 180 days before filing — so a recent move can change which district is available. Confirm venue before filing.

Oakland Division

2 counties

U.S. Bankruptcy Court, N.D. Cal. — "Where do I file my bankruptcy petition and other documents?" (Oakland Division: Alameda and Contra Costa)

San Francisco Division

2 counties

U.S. Bankruptcy Court, N.D. Cal. — "Where do I file my bankruptcy petition and other documents?" (San Francisco Division: San Francisco and San Mateo)

San Jose Division

4 counties

U.S. Bankruptcy Court, N.D. Cal. — "Where do I file my bankruptcy petition and other documents?" (San Jose Division: Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Monterey and San Benito)

Santa Rosa Division

7 counties

U.S. Bankruptcy Court, N.D. Cal. — "Where do I file my bankruptcy petition and other documents?" (Santa Rosa Division: Del Norte, Mendocino, Humboldt, Napa, Sonoma, Marin and Lake)

Every California county and its court →

How the Northern District of California runs a case

Practices this court sets for itself. They differ from district to district, which is why a national answer cannot supply them.

Section 341 meeting of creditors
By Zoom video

USTP Instructions for Joining a Zoom § 341(a) Meeting of Creditors

Chapter 13 plan form
This district requires its own local plan form

CANB official material — Chapter 13 Plan, Effective: 1.1.2023 ver4

What the Northern District of California publishes

Local rules and standing orders bind cases in this district in addition to the national rules. Each link goes to the court’s own copy.

Local rules

The rules this court adds on top of the Federal Rules of Bankruptcy Procedure. They bind every case filed here.

Showing 12 of 84 this court publishes.

Standing orders

General orders the court has entered that apply across cases rather than to one case.

Showing 12 of 18 this court publishes.

Fee schedules

What this court charges, as the court publishes it.

Related

Not yet published here

We have not collected these for this court, so this page does not show them. The court’s own site is the authority meanwhile.

  • Courthouse street addresses, filing-counter hours and clerk phone numbers
  • The trustees who serve this district

This court publishes at www.canb.uscourts.gov. The rules, orders and fee schedules linked on this page go to its own copies.

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