Alachua County, Florida

Which bankruptcy court hears a case from Alachua County?

Alachua County is assigned to the Gainesville Division of the Northern District of Florida (N.D. Fla. LBR 1014-1(A)(4)). The district courts hold original and exclusive jurisdiction over cases under title 11 (28 U.S.C. § 1334(a)), and a voluntary case begins when a petition is filed with the bankruptcy court (11 U.S.C. § 301(a)). Your division is a starting point, not a guarantee: venue under 28 U.S.C. § 1408 turns on where your domicile, residence, principal place of business in the United States, or principal assets in the United States were located for the 180 days before filing, or for the greater part of that period than anywhere else. A move partway through the year, or a business operated in another district, can point venue elsewhere. The court's own pages note that documents are not accepted for filing at the District Court Clerk's Office in Gainesville (Bankr. N.D. Fla. official page — Filing Without an Attorney).

• Division assignment: Gainesville Division, Northern District of Florida
• Venue test: the greater part of the 180 days before filing (28 U.S.C. § 1408)
• Local rule governing division changes within the district: N.D. Fla. LBR 1014-1

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

Only individuals, including married couples, may file or appear before this court without a lawyer, and self-represented debtors must comply with the Local Rules, the Bankruptcy Code and the Federal Rules of Bankruptcy Procedure exactly as a represented debtor would; failure can result in dismissal or other sanctions (Bankr. N.D. Fla. official page — Filing Without an Attorney). The court does not allow self-represented debtors to file through CM/ECF unless the Chief Bankruptcy Judge has ordered an exception. Effective October 21, 2025, the court no longer accepts routine filings by email or facsimile from self-represented parties; documents go by mail or commercial carrier, in person during regular business hours, or into the Tallahassee or Pensacola drop boxes (Bankr. N.D. Fla. AO 25-004). The judges, their staff, the Clerk and the Clerk's staff are not permitted to give legal advice, help prepare your petition or schedules, or recommend an attorney.

• Use only the federal and local forms from the Clerk's Office or the court's website, never forms from another court
• An Emergency Filing Service allows certain email submissions when the Clerk's Office is closed
• Photo identification is required to enter a federal courthouse

How does the meeting of creditors work in this district?

After the order for relief, the United States trustee convenes and presides at a meeting of creditors within a reasonable time (11 U.S.C. § 341(a)). The court may not preside at or attend that meeting (11 U.S.C. § 341(c)). In a Chapter 7 case, the trustee must orally examine you before the meeting closes to confirm you understand the consequences of seeking a discharge, including effects on credit history, your ability to file under a different chapter, the effect of a discharge, and the effect of reaffirming a debt (11 U.S.C. § 341(d)). A creditor holding a consumer debt, or its representative, may appear and participate whether or not an attorney comes along. This district's court pages list the Assistant U.S. Trustee and panel trustees and note that the Trustee Program offers spoken-language and sign-language assistance on request before your meeting date; unrepresented debtors contact the trustee assigned to the case (Bankr. N.D. Fla. official page — Trustee Information).

• Meeting date, time and location are available through the court's automated case information line (Bankr. N.D. Fla. official page — Contact Us)
• Trustees cannot give legal advice to parties in a pending case

What local rules and orders change the process here?

Several standing and administrative orders shape practice in this district. Under Administrative Order 26-001, effective April 30, 2026, parties are required to use the court's Required Local Form Orders for specified motions, applications and objections, without material alteration; failure to use one may result in rejection of the order or denial of the underlying request without prejudice. The district publishes its own Chapter 13 plan form (Local Form 13-21) along with local forms for pro se filers, including a Debtor's Statement of Assistance and a Motion for Waiver of the Credit Counseling Requirement (Bankr. N.D. Fla. official page — Forms). Standing Order No. 19 governs Chapter 13 attorney fees, pre-confirmation adequate protection payments, annual statements and tax returns, and Administrative Order 23-006 sets a presumptively reasonable Chapter 13 debtor's attorney fee. Amended Administrative Order 15-002 sets filing deadlines and required contents for motions to extend or impose the automatic stay.

What are the filing fees, and what if you cannot pay them?

A Chapter 7 case carries a filing fee of $245 (28 U.S.C. § 1930(a)(1)(A), (f)(1)), plus a $78 administrative fee (Bankruptcy Court Miscellaneous Fee Schedule, Item 8) and a $15 trustee payment (Bankruptcy Court Miscellaneous Fee Schedule, Item 9). A Chapter 13 case carries a filing fee of $235 (28 U.S.C. § 1930(a)(1)(B)) plus the same $78 administrative fee. The court's published guidance is that fees are due in full when the petition is filed unless you file, and the court approves, Official Form 103A to pay in installments or Official Form 103B to have the Chapter 7 filing fee waived; a waiver request rests on income below 150% of the official poverty line and inability to pay in installments. Failure to pay as directed results in dismissal. This court does not accept cash or personal checks from debtors; money orders and cashier's checks must be for the exact amount and payable to Clerk, U.S. Bankruptcy Court. Confirm current amounts and suggested installment figures at the court's fees page (Bankr. N.D. Fla. Filing Fees).

• Installment applications are for individuals and married couples only
• Outstanding fees from a prior case can lead to denial of an installment application

Which Florida questions should you settle before filing?

Exemptions decide what you keep, and Florida's are unusual enough that they are worth working through before you choose a chapter. The Florida constitutional homestead exemption is unlimited in dollar terms, with a parcel limit of 160 contiguous acres outside a municipality or one-half contiguous acre within one, subject to the constitutional creditor exceptions and federal bankruptcy caps (Fla. Const. art. X, § 4(a)(1)). Constitutional personal property is capped at $1,000 (Fla. Const. art. X, § 4(a)(2)). One motor vehicle is covered up to $5,000 (Fla. Stat. § 222.25(1)), and a debtor who does not claim the homestead exemption may have an additional personal-property exemption of $4,000, unavailable for child-support or spousal-support debt (Fla. Stat. § 222.25(4)). Qualifying tax-exempt retirement funds are unlimited, subject to the statute's own conditions (Fla. Stat. § 222.21(2)). Wage protection and the homestead conditions involve more detail than this page can carry; use the further reading below.

• Which exemption list applies to you, and on what date your Florida residency began
• Whether the homestead conditions and acreage limits fit your property
• What portion of your wages a creditor can reach now, and what filing changes

Where can an Alachua County resident get help?

The court publishes several free-assistance resources and is explicit that aid from them is not guaranteed and may depend on resources or income (Bankr. N.D. Fla. official page — Filing Without an Attorney). The court has certified the Florida State University College of Law Bankruptcy Pro Bono Clinic, which offers free legal services to qualifying people facing financial problems who may file or need help in a bankruptcy case. The Bankruptcy Bar Association for the Northern District of Florida supports a Bankruptcy Pro Se Assistance Clinic and a pro bono initiative reachable through a published toll-free line. The court also lists the Florida Bar lawyer referral service, FloridaLawHelp.org, FloridaFreeLegalAnswers.org, Legal Services of North Florida and Three Rivers Legal Services. Separately, debtors in both chapters must obtain credit counseling from an approved provider before filing and complete a personal financial management course afterward (11 U.S.C. § 521(b), (c)); the U.S. Trustee Program publishes the approved-provider lists.

• Arthur, the Bankruptcy.law AI Navigator, can walk you through what the published rules say and help you organise your documents
• If you want a local attorney, we can pass your details to a participating firm only after you ask and give consent

Frequently asked questions

Does living in Alachua County guarantee my case is filed in the Northern District of Florida?

No. Alachua County is assigned to the Gainesville Division of the Northern District of Florida (N.D. Fla. LBR 1014-1(A)(4)), but venue under 28 U.S.C. § 1408 depends on where your domicile, residence, principal place of business or principal assets were located for the greater part of the 180 days before you file. A recent move across district lines can change the answer.

Can I file my petition by email in this district?

Not routinely. Effective October 21, 2025, this court no longer accepts routine filings by email or facsimile from self-represented parties (Bankr. N.D. Fla. AO 25-004). The court's Emergency Filing Service allows certain documents to be emailed only while the Clerk's Office is closed, and the court states it does not guarantee a case number in time to halt a next-morning foreclosure sale.

Will a judge be at my meeting of creditors?

No. The court may not preside at or attend any meeting under 11 U.S.C. § 341, including a final meeting of creditors. The United States trustee convenes and presides (11 U.S.C. § 341(a)). In a Chapter 7 case the trustee orally examines you before the meeting concludes about the consequences of a discharge, other chapters, and reaffirmation (11 U.S.C. § 341(d)).

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

Yes. This district publishes its own Chapter 13 plan form, Local Form 13-21, on the court's Forms page (Bankr. N.D. Fla. official page — Forms). Standing Order No. 19 addresses the form plan alongside attorney fees, adequate protection payments and annual statements. Separately, Administrative Order 26-001 requires parties to use posted Required Local Form Orders for specified motions and objections.

What happens if I cannot pay the filing fee up front?

The court's guidance is that the fee is due when the petition is filed unless you file, and the court approves, Official Form 103A to pay in installments or Official Form 103B to have the Chapter 7 filing fee waived (Bankr. N.D. Fla. Filing Fees). A Chapter 7 waiver turns on income under 150% of the official poverty line plus inability to pay in installments. Failure to pay as directed results in dismissal.

Does this page tell me how much of my Florida wages a creditor can take?

No. This page cannot answer that from the sources supplied here, and a figure we cannot trace to a verified source is one we will not print. Our Florida garnishment and exemption pages cover wage protection and the homestead conditions in their own right. Treat the exemption amounts above as a starting point for a conversation, not a calculation of your case.

Sources

• N.D. Fla. LBR 1014-1(A)(4)
• 28 U.S.C. § 1408
• 28 U.S.C. § 1334
• 11 U.S.C. § 301
• 11 U.S.C. § 341 · official source
• 11 U.S.C. § 521 · official source
• Bankr. N.D. Fla. AO 25-004
• Bankr. N.D. Fla. official page — Filing Without an Attorney
• Bankr. N.D. Fla. official page — Contact Us
• Bankr. N.D. Fla. official page — Trustee Information
• Bankr. N.D. Fla. official page — Forms
• Bankr. N.D. Fla. AO 26-001
• Bankr. N.D. Fla. SO #19
• Bankr. N.D. Fla. AO 23-006
• Bankr. N.D. Fla. Amended AO 15-002
• Bankr. N.D. Fla. AO 22-002
• Bankr. N.D. Fla. Filing Fees
• Bankr. N.D. Fla. official page — Fees
• Bankr. N.D. Fla. official page — Chapter 13 - Individual Debt Adjustment
• Bankruptcy Court Miscellaneous Fee Schedule, Item 8
• Bankruptcy Court Miscellaneous Fee Schedule, Item 9
• 28 U.S.C. § 1930(a)(1)(A), (f)(1) · official source
• 28 U.S.C. § 1930(a)(1)(B) · official source
• Fla. Const. art. X, § 4(a)(1)
• Fla. Const. art. X, § 4(a)(2)
• Fla. Stat. § 222.25(1)
• Fla. Stat. § 222.25(4)
• Fla. Stat. § 222.21(2)

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• 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 →

Florida median income

Median annual income, household of one

$69,876

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 →

What Florida law protects

This state has opted out of the federal exemption list for debtors whose applicable exemption law is this state's law. Which state's law applies is set by 11 U.S.C. § 522(b)(3)(A) from where the filer was domiciled before filing, not from where they live today — and § 522(b)(3) still allows the federal list where that domicile rule would otherwise leave a debtor with no exemptions at all.

All Florida exemptions, with their statutes →