Case information may be obtained by telephone, through the mail, or in person at the Clerk’s Office public counters.nnObtaining Case Information By Telephone to permit you around-the-clock access to case information, the Clerk’s Office has installed two automated case information systems. The Voice Case Information System, or VCIS, uses a computer-generated synthesized voice device to read case summary information directly from the court’s computer in response to touch-tone telephone inquiries. VCIS is provided free of charge. Local calls within the Sacramento area may be placed by dialing (916) 930-4400. Long distance callers may access VCIS toll-free by dialing 1-800-736-0158.nnThe Public Access to Court Electronic Records, or PACER, information system permits the use of any terminal or computer, a modem, and communications software to dial the court’s computer and access lists of newly filed cases, case summary information, and docket entries made during the past six (6) months. Users must obtain a login-id and password from the San Antonio billing center by calling 1-800-676-6856 and pay $1.00 per minute to access the PACER system. Additional information concerning VCIS and PACER is available from any divisional Clerk’s Office.nnBasic case information that you are unable to access using an automated case information system may be obtained free of charge by calling the divisional Clerk’s Office in which the case is pending during the hours indicated below.nnSacramento Division8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. 916) 930-4400.nModesto Divisionn9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.n(209) 521-5160.nFresno Divisionn9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.n1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.n(209) 487-5217.nnAs a general rule, all information other than basic case information requires a physical search of the court’s records. If a physical search of the court’s records is required, you must pay a $15-00 search fee for every name or item to be searched before the Clerk’s Office will provide the requested information. Requests for information subject to the search fee should be made in writing. You may, however, obtain the information free of charge in most cases by coming to the Clerk’s Office and conducting your own search.nnObtaining Case Information By Mail: To obtain case information by mail, send a written request containing the case number, the case name, the information you request, your name, address, a telephone number where you can be reached during business hours and the best time to call, with a self-addressed, stamped envelope. Written requests for information requiring a physical search of the court’s records should be accompanied by a cashier’s check, certified check, or money order sufficient to cover the applicable search fee.nObtaining Case Information In Person: As a general rule, all documents in the court’s case files and all court dockets are public record and available to the public for inspection. Files and dockets may be reviewed at the Clerk’s Office public counters during business hours.nnNot all papers are placed in the main, or “parent,” case file. Adversary proceedings, chapter 11 monthly operating reports, motions for relief from automatic stay filed in chapter 11 cases, and proofs of claim filed in chapter 11 are kept in separate files. In chapter 7 and chapter 13 cases, proofs of claim are generally found on the left side of the first volume of the parent case file. However, due to their number, they are at times kept in separate files.nnDocuments are placed in files from the bottom up in chronological order. In other words, the document initiating the case will be the one on the bottom of the first volume. Documents are listed on court dockets from the top down in chronological order. The document initiating the case will be the first one listed below the names and addresses on the first page of the docket.nnThe court docket is a list of brief entries made to record the activity in a case. It contains information concerning the parties involved, filing fees paid, deadlines set, hearings held, and documents filed in the case. For each order and judgment filed, the date the order or judgment was recorded, or entered, on the docket is indicated.nnIn order to review a case file or docket, you will need the case number. Nficrofiche lists of names, alphabetic case locators, and a computer terminals are available at the public counter for your use. To have a file or “hard copy” docket pulled for viewing, you will need to complete a request form and present it with a driver’s license or other appropriate form of identification. Unless the file or docket you wish to view has been archived or is otherwise unavailable, it will be pulled for your review.nnUnder No Circumstances May You Remove Files From The File Review Area Or Remove Documents From Files.nnAll files must be returned in proper order. The Clerk’s Office is the keeper of the court’s records and is responsible for maintaining their accuracy and integrity. Removal of files from the file review area, removal of documents from files or failure to return files in proper order will be deemed sufficient grounds to refuse to provide you with additional files.nnElectronic court dockets may be viewed and printed using the computer terminals in the file review area. There is a $.50 per page charge for printed dockets. Printed dockets may be picked up at the public counter. Partial dockets may be viewed and printed by entering beginning and ending dates when requesting the docket.nnThe electronic dockets for cases filed prior to August 20, 1990 list only the events docketed on or after January 4, 1993. All events docketed prior to January 4, 1993 are listed on a paper, or “hard copy”, docket for the case. In order to review the complete docket in one of these cases, you will need to request that it be pulled.nnDue to limited storage space, closed case files and “hard copy” dockets are archived by periodically shipping them to the Federal Records Center in San Bruno, California for storage. Files and dockets stored at the Federal Records Center may be recalled to the Clerk’s Off-ice and reviewed in the Clerk’s Office file review area. A $25.00 fee will be charged for each record retrieved from the Federal Records Center by the Clerk’s Office. This fee must be paid before the Clerk’s Office will recall a record.nnAlternatively, you may travel to the Federal Records Center in San Bruno to review the archived file or docket. All personal visits to the Federal Records Center are by appointment only. Appointments are scheduled 7:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, and must be requested by telephone at least 24 hours in advance. You must obtain the file or docket location, box, and accession numbers from the Clerk’s Office and provide it to the Federal Records Center in order to review the file there. For more information concerning reviewing files at the Federal Records Center, please see Attachment 4.nnGetting Copies of Papers from Locally Stored Case Files: Open case files and recently closed case files are locally stored. -Copies of papers in locally stored case files may be obtained by mail or in person at the Clerk’s Office public counter. To obtain copies by mail, a written request containing the case number, the case name, the title of the documents you wish copied, your name, address, a telephone number where you can be reached during business hours and the best time to call, must be sent to the Clerk’s Office with a self-addressed, stamped envelope and a cashier’s check, certified check or money order for the appropriate fee payable to “Clerk, U.S. Bankruptcy Court.” Unless certification is needed, a $15.00 per name or item search fee plus a $.50 per page photocopy fee will be charged to obtain copies by mail. An additional fee of $5.00 per document will be charged if certified copies are needed.nnTo obtain copies in person at the Clerk’s Office, you may use the coin operated, $.15 per page, photocopy machines located in each divisional Clerk’s Office file review area unless certified copies are needed. Do Not Remove Documents From Files To Photocopy –fold Them Over Instead.nnThe Clerk’s Office will not certify copies made by you. To obtain certified copies in person, you will be charged a $.50 per page photocopy fee plus a $5.00 per document certification fee provided that you paper-clip together the right side of the pages you would like copied and certified. If you don’t paper clip the pages together, the $15.00 per name or item search fee, the $.50 per page photocopy fee and the $5.00 per document certification fee must be paid to obtain certified copies in person.nnGetting Copies of Papers from Archived Files: Copies of papers in archived files may be obtained from the Clerk’s Office in the same manner as copies of papers in locally stored case files. Unless certification is needed, a $25.00 per record archive retrieval fee plus a $.50 per page photocopy fee will be charged for copy work requested by mail. An additional $5.00 per document fee will be charged for certified copies. Likewise, you may use the coin-operated, public lobby photocopy machines to copy papers in case files recalled to the Clerk’s Office from the Federal Records Center unless certified copies are needed. Certified copies of documents in these files will be subject to the same $.50 per page photocopy and $5.00 per document certification fees as papers in locally stored cases.nnAlternatively, you may obtain copies of papers in archived files by visiting the Federal Records Center in San Bruno. The cost for copy work at the Federal Records Center is $.50 per page. An additional fee of $5.00 per document will be charged if certified copies are needed. You must obtain the same information concerning the file from the Clerk’s Office that you would need to view the file, and contact the Federal Records Center to schedule all appointment. See Attachment 4.nnThe Federal Records Center will also accept mail requests for photocopies of archived personal chapter 7 bankruptcy case files and forward them to the requestor or, with sufficient notice, make them available for pick-up at the Federal Records Center. Photocopies of either the entire contents of an archived personal chapter 7 bankruptcy case file or a package of commonly requested documents may be requested. Copies of papers in archived chapter 7 business cases, cases under all other chapters, and adversary proceedings may only be obtained by visiting the Federal Records Center or requesting that the Clerk’s Office retrieve the file. For more information concerning requests by mail for copies of papers from personal chapter 7 bankruptcy case files, please see Attachment 5.