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Bankruptcy Courts Are Part Of U.S. District Court System

The Bankruptcy Courts are a part of the United States District Court system. Title 28 of the United States Code, Section 1334(a) provides that "the district courts shall have original and exclusive jurisdiction of all cases under title 11" of the United States Code (Bankruptcy Code). The district courts also have original but not exclusive jurisdiction of all civil proceedings arising under title 11, or arising in or related to cases under title 11. In addition, the district courts also have original and exclusive jurisdiction of all of the property, wherever located, of a debtor who files a bankruptcy in the United States. A copy of Section 1334 of Title 28 is reproduced here for illustration purposes only.

How Debtor Must Select Proper Court

The proper location for the filing of a bankruptcy may be determined by a debtor's domicile, residence or principal place of business, or the location of principal assets in the United States, within a period of 180 days immediately preceding the commencement of the bankruptcy action. See Section 1408 of the Bankruptcy Code describing "Venue of Cases" reproduced here for illustration purposes only.

District Courts are located in every state. Some states have multiple districts. Each of these districts may also have multiple branches. See Bankruptcy Courts for a list of such courts in the United States by clicking here. Link does not return to this page.

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