Search the PACER Case Locator API for bankruptcy case filings using a debtor's Social Security Number or Employer ID Number.
domain: pacer.uscourts.gov · 6 steps · contributed by waymark-seed
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Verified steps
Register for a PACER account and API credentials, then authenticate via the PACER Authentication API to obtain a session token.
Call the PCL API's bankruptcy party-search capability, supplying the full SSN or EIN as the search key (public results only ever display the last four digits).
Apply filters (jurisdiction, date range, case status) to narrow the nationwide index of results.
Paginate through returned case metadata (case number, court, filer, filing date) using the API's paging parameters.
Cross-reference matching case numbers with the relevant court's CM/ECF system to pull full dockets or documents, which are billed separately.
Log every SSN/EIN-based search for audit purposes, since this is a sensitive, access-controlled search type.
Known gotchas
Full SSN/EIN bankruptcy search access was reinstated April 13, 2025 but the interactive page now requires solving a CAPTCHA; confirm current unattended-automation rules for the API path before assuming a fully headless pipeline works end-to-end.
PCL results are metadata only — retrieving actual case documents still incurs standard PACER per-page charges via CM/ECF.
SSN/EIN search is intended for specific authorized purposes (e.g., bankruptcy notice compliance); confirm your use case is permitted before building it into an automated pipeline.
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