Cost of Pacer? Do I need it?

[justbroke]

One thing I wanted to throw out there is that your local BK courthouse\library may have Pacer terminals that the public can use free of charge (our local courthouse offered this, it was very helpful).

I believe that the Court is required to have public access terminals free of charge. However, they do charge $0.50 a page to print things!! I suggest that you write down case numbers, then return home to save them to your hard drive, then print them at home!!!

[backtoschool]

I am addicted to this site! It is so helpful, and interesting. I think if I ever let myself go on Pacer it would be the same thing! So I am not doing Pacer.

I have received a few things in the mail from the Bankruptcy Court, the last being a letter with an Order determining the debtor's compliance with filing requirements of 521 (a) (1). SO, am counting on getting something in the mail if any creditor files an AP or the UST objects to anything. It would be nice to see it on Pacer when it happens, but I will eventually know and just have to deal wit it then!

50 days to go!!!!!!!

I deliberately did not sign up for pacer, as it would just make me more anxious and nervous and make the time until my 341 and discharge seem longer since I would be checking it every 5 minutes.

For me, too much knowledge is not a good thing. And I don't really want to have to worry if I misinterpret a comment, etc. If more documentation is needed, the court, or my attorney will send me a a notice and I will do what I can to provide it.

[FakeName]

I deliberately did not sign up for pacer, as it would just make me more anxious and nervous and make the time until my 341 and discharge seem longer since I would be checking it every 5 minutes.

For me, too much knowledge is not a good thing. And I don't really want to have to worry if I misinterpret a comment, etc. If more documentation is needed, the court, or my attorney will send me a a notice and I will do what I can to provide it.

This is where I'm at on the whole PACER thing. I had my 341 today and I just know I'd end up being "that guy" who racks up a $300 PACER bill hitting "Refresh" all day.

If something urgent comes up, I have a hunch I'll find out about it in short order. I'm just trying to put the whole thing out of my head until October 23.

[lifelesson]

what is this pacer you speak of? how does a person access it? I wnet online tot eh website provided to us and can not see any case information access. Should I just take a ride downtown every couple of weeks to see what is what?

[BVeronica]

Did anyone notice that -- made it easy to get an invite code for personal use. Now only First Name and an email address is needed.

[MiSSMaGoo]

Some folks have posted on here they racked up several hundred dollars unknowingly on Pacer so it could in the long run be cheaper to drive occasionally and view it free than pay for it. One person had to add over $700 of Pacer charges to her filing. Your attorney can also for free send you printouts upon your request from the Trustee (as we obtained) as to the status of your case. If you file a Chapter 13 your trustee sends you quarterly print outs anyway as to what is going on with your case, what goes in and what is paid out and balances. Pacer is a non-necessity for most filers and creates all sorts of anxiety amongst some users when certain things are posted/appear that are not in layman's terms.

OMG that's crazy... that had to be someone who was having super anxiety over their bk to view that many pages!

[justcurious]

That's certainly extreme! One can download a pdf copy of the viewable pages as soon as they're available so there is no reason to log on to view them at the site repeatedly, if that's what she did.

Or else she had a very complex bankruptcy with a zillion documents.

Either way...wow.

[justbroke]

Or else she had a very complex bankruptcy with a zillion documents.

A PACER addiction doesn't cause you to run up a large bill by looking at your own case. The way to run up a bill that large, it to run "large" queries (where you're billed per page, no max), and "snooping" around looking at different cases.

[justcurious]

Ah, that too. I can grok being inquisitive but that's just nuts.

[leena]

I for one am not spending any time or money on Pacer. I want to leave that 341, and if all goes well, except for not making any significant financial changes until discharge I am going to say that for my purposes it is over.

I figure my attorney will tell me about any problems. Why would I want to be home by myself and read a problem on Pacer and not be able to reach my attorney? I have spent forever on this already, and I am not spending one more moment on the BK then I must.

[gowiththeflo]

I wouldn't rely on my attorney for prompt reporting to me of events.... I get noticed when the creditors do. I wonder if anyone has the same feelings of cynicism as I do at this point. Everybody wants your money, they'll say and do anything to get it and then they're done with "your best interest". Everybody. From attorneys and doctors to your kids. I look at pacer for the bk issues... I wish I had pacer for a lot of other issues!

[leena]

I wouldn't rely on my attorney for prompt reporting to me of events.... I get noticed when the creditors do. I wonder if anyone has the same feelings of cynicism as I do at this point. Everybody wants your money, they'll say and do anything to get it and then they're done with "your best interest". Everybody. From attorneys and doctors to your kids. I look at pacer for the bk issues... I wish I had pacer for a lot of other issues!

But, how is seeing them "sooner" on Pacer really helping? I mean, your attorney will let you know if the trustee has issues, or the trustee will even let you know directly... I say use Pacer if you like, but for me, yes it would just be OCD inducing!

[mickeyme]

I have not heard of Pacer before. My BK was discharged in Jan 09' but I have a few questions about the filings. Can I find my documents on Pacer even though I am discharged?

[AngelinaCat]

I have not heard of Pacer before. My BK was discharged in Jan 09' but I have a few questions about the filings. Can I find my documents on Pacer even though I am discharged?

Yes, all of your documents are there and as public record will stay there. Here is the link to the 'sticky' explaining what PACER is and how to set up an account.

http://www.bkforum.com/showthread.php?t=1011

[FreshStart01]

Pacer doesn't have to cost you anything if you use it wisely. My Ch7 Discharged and Closed on 11/12/09,throughout the process I checked on pacer a couple of times a week and as of 11/12 my total charges were $8.72 so I won't even be billed since it's under $10.00. The trick is Log In, do a Query if the last posted date hasn't changed you don't need to go any further because there's nothing new so just log out.When there is something new you can read it then save it as a document on your PC,then if you want to go back to it, It won't cost you .08 a page a second time.