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Involuntary Case opening

NOTE:  The Involuntary Petition (Individual) or Involuntary Petition (Non-Individual) and Summons must be filed at the bankruptcy court Filing Window unless you are an Attorney with an ECF account.

To view the electronic learning module (ELM) titled, "Involuntary Petition," click here.

Attorney ECF Account Processing Instructions (10/14/2020): 

  1. Select Bankruptcy menu.
  2. Select Open Involuntary Case.
  3. Select correct chapter: 7 or 11.
  4. Click Next.
  5. Search for a Debtor by Name, Social Security Number/Individual Taxpayer ID Number (SSN/ITIN) , or Tax ID/Employer Identification Number (Tax ID/EIN).
    • Debtor name does not appear, select Create New Party.
    • Debtor name appears, select the name from the list and verify debtor information, mailing address, redacted social security
      number, etc. from the pop up window.
    • Debtor name appears, but mailing address is incorrect, select name from list and modify the address information as needed.
  1. Select the Alias button if debtor has any alias(es) and complete all fields ensuring to select the appropriate role for the alias, ie., aka, dba, etc.
    1. Click the Add Alias button to submit the information.
    2. Select the Review button to ensure all aliases were entered correctly.
    3. If the alias information needs to be corrected, uncheck alias and click on Return to Party screen button to re-enter the information or enter additional aliases via the Alias button.
  2. Review party information and Submit.
  3. Search for the petitioning creditor by by Name, Social Security Number/Individual Taxpayer ID Number (SSN/ITIN) , or Tax ID/Employer Identification Number (Tax ID/EIN).
  4. Select petitioning creditor from the party search results list. If not listed, Create New Party.
  5. As the Filing Attorney representing the first Petitioning Creditor entered, check the boxThe user opening the case is the filing attorney for this party.”
    1. Click the Review… button to verify that the ECF user opening the case is the filing attorney for this party.
    2. Click the Return to Party Screen button.
    3. Click Submit.
  6. Continue adding petitioning creditors through Search for a petitioning creditor by Name, SSN/ITIN, or Tax ID/EIN.  See step 10 to add yourself as the user opening the case who is the filing attorney for each applicable petitioning creditor; OR to add the Petitioning Creditor's attorney, follow steps a through e below:
    1. Click the Attorney...button to add the attorney for the petitionaing creditor.
    2. Search for an attorney by name and/or Bar ID.
    3. Select attorney from the Attorney search results list. If not listed, select Create new attorney.
    4. Click the Add attorney button to relate the attorney to the petitioning creditor.
    5. Click Submit.
  7. When finished adding petitioning creditors, Click the End petitioning creditor selection button .
  8. Click Next.
  9. Nature of debt. Click the drop-down arrow to select business or consumer.
  10. Type of debtor.  Make a selection: Individual, Corporation, etc.
  11. Nature of business. Make a selection if applicable.
  12. Click Next.
  13. Attachments to Document. Click Yes
  1. Verify final docket text before submitting onto the case docket. If the final Docket Text is incorrect, start over by slecting "Bankruptcy" form the blue menu bar. If the Final Docket Text is correct, click next. 
  2. Pay the applicable filing fees. 
  3. Print the Notice of Electronic filing.  This is the verification that the document has been electronically filed.