Technically, all bankruptcy records are public through the federal court’s internet-based Public Access to Court Electronic Records (PACER) service. In order to access bankruptcy records through PACER, one needs an account set up. Those in Eden Prairie can create their own PACER accounts, but the average Eden Prairie resident doesn’t know that. One typically is in some sort of legal field in order to know about PACER access. Further, those with PACER access would need to search your name in order to find your bankruptcy filing. The chances of one of your Eden Prairie friends or relatives having a PACER account and actually searching your name is pretty low.
In the past, local papers used to publish local bankruptcy filings. This may still be true for business bankruptcy filings, but most local papers no longer bother publishing these. I can’t speak for all papers, but I don’t know of an Eden Prairie paper that publishes bankruptcy filings. None of my Eden Prairie clients have had this issue yet.
After you file bankruptcy, you receive mail from the U.S. Bankruptcy Court with the court’s name, address, and emblem on the envelope. If you are concerned about those you live with seeing your bankruptcy mail, consider using another address as your mailing address in your filing. The bankruptcy court allows bankruptcy filers to use a separate mailing address for receiving their notices. This is a helpful way of avoiding mail at your home address.