Alexander Pirnie Federal Building

Section 01Physical Address

This courthouse hosts United States bankruptcy proceedings administered by the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of New York (N.D.N.Y.). The N.D.N.Y. is one of 94 federal bankruptcy districts in the United States and sits within the Second Circuit. Federal bankruptcy filings, hearings, and § 341 meetings of creditors held in this division are calendared at this facility unless otherwise noticed on the docket.

Section 02Clerk's Office

The Clerk of the Court for N.D.N.Y. maintains the official docket for cases assigned to this division. Standard clerk-office hours at federal bankruptcy courthouses are generally 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM local time, Monday through Friday, excluding federal holidays. Specific intake hours for in-person filings, after-hours drop-box procedures, and remote-hearing protocols are published on the court's official website.

Section 03Divisional Coverage

This courthouse serves the following division(s) within N.D.N.Y.: Utica. Division assignments under the federal venue statute (28 U.S.C. § 1408) depend on the county of residence of the debtor at the time of filing for individuals, or the principal place of business for entities. Cases may be transferred between divisions for the convenience of the parties under 28 U.S.C. § 1412.

Hearings calendared at this courthouse include first-day matters in Chapter 11 cases, confirmation hearings in Chapter 13 plans, contested matters under Federal Rule of Bankruptcy Procedure 9014, and adversary proceedings under Part VII of the Federal Rules of Bankruptcy Procedure. § 341 meetings of creditors are typically held at the courthouse or at a separately designated United States Trustee meeting location within the division.

Section 04About the N.D.N.Y. Bankruptcy Court

The United States Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of New York hears all chapters of bankruptcy authorized under the federal Bankruptcy Code: Chapter 7 (liquidation), Chapter 11 (business reorganization, including Subchapter V for small businesses), Chapter 12 (family farmer or fisherman), and Chapter 13 (wage-earner repayment plan). The court also adjudicates adversary proceedings and contested matters ancillary to main cases.

The N.D.N.Y. sits within the Second Circuit Court of Appeals, which hears appeals from bankruptcy decisions of the district. Bankruptcy judges in the N.D.N.Y. are appointed under Article I of the U.S. Constitution to fourteen-year terms by the Second Circuit Court of Appeals pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 152.

Section 05RECAP & Free Case Access

Federal bankruptcy court records for N.D.N.Y. are available free of charge in the RECAP Archive of the Free Law Project. RECAP mirrors PACER documents that have been uploaded by users with the free RECAP browser extension, removing the per-page PACER fee for already-uploaded documents.

Hearings held at this courthouse are reflected on the public docket and, where uploaded, are accessible at no cost via CourtListener. The Open Bankruptcy Project maintains a paginated case index for N.D.N.Y. linked above.

Section 06Accessibility & Visitor Information

All federal courthouses comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and provide accessible entrances, restrooms, and courtrooms. Specific accessibility accommodations (interpreters, assistive listening devices, mobility assistance) are coordinated through the Clerk's Office and should be requested in advance.

Visitors to federal courthouses are subject to United States Marshals Service security screening, including bag inspection and metal-detector passage. Personal electronic devices may be subject to restrictions; consult the court website or the U.S. Marshals Service for current policies before visiting.