The Voice Case Information System (VCIS)
Western District of Wisconsin

1-800-743-8247 or local 608-264-5035  

What is VCIS?

The Voice Case Information System allows anyone with a touch tone telephone to call the court, request information about a particular case, and have the computer read the data directly from the ECF (Electronic Case Filing) database.

The following information is provided for bankruptcy cases:

  • case number
  • debtor names
  • social security and/or tax id number
  • date the case was opened or reopened
  • whether voluntary or involuntary
  • chapter
  • business or consumer
  • debtor's attorney and phone number
  • date converted and converted chapter
  • trustee
  • assigned judge
  • case status
  • first meeting of creditors date and time, if set
  • last date to file a claim
  • discharge date, if one exists
  • date the case was closed
  • date the case was reopened
  • disposition
  • asset status

The following information is provided for adversary proceedings:

  • case number
  • case type
  • case short title 1 and 2
  • date filed
  • plaintiff's attorney and phone number
  • assigned judge
  • case status
  • date closed
  • date reopened
  • previous closed date
  • disposition

This is done by using a recorded voice together with a computer-synthesized voice. Since it is retrieved from the court's live database, the information reported is the most current available.

What is the charge for using VCIS?

The information service is provided free of charge.

When is the service available?

You may call for information 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, except weekdays between approximately 5:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m., when the computer is taken off-line for system backups.

How do I use VCIS?

The VCIS telephone numbers are 264-5035 for local calls or toll-free (800)743-8247. The VCIS user is asked if they wish to select a case by either the case number, the name of the debtor or party in the bankruptcy/adversary case, or a social security or tax ID number. They then press the lettered buttons on the phone to indicate the search criteria. VCIS will retrieve and read the matching case(s). There is a 15 character or 40 second limit. You MUST end with the "#" key. After a few seconds, the computer will report current information about the case.

Which cases are on VCIS?

All of the bankruptcy cases filed, converted or reopened in the Western District of Wisconsin after 4/1/91 are in the VCIS database.

What other programs are available?

In June 1992, the court activated Public Access to Court Electronic Records (PACER), a program allowing computer-to-computer access to its ECF (Electronic Case Filing) database. This will permit anyone with a telephone modem-equipped or highspeed internet access IBM compatible PC (and a PACER account) to connect to the court's computer to view and/or print case information. The information available on PACER is more extensive than what is available on VCIS. In addition to basic case information, docket entries, claims register and list of creditors are also available. The cost for this service is $.60 per minute, billed in one-minute increments. Access is billed on a quarterly basis. Information packets, including a registration form, are available from the Clerk's office.


Sample Session


The following is a sample session of VCIS. Susan Public is interested in a particular bankruptcy case involving the debtor ABC Mutual Corp. Susan would like to know the debtor's attorney, and the attorney's telephone number. She picks up her telephone and dials the number of the court's Voice Case Information System.

The phone is answered and a prerecorded message similar to the following is played:

"Welcome to the United States Bankruptcy Court Voice Case Information System. Choose one of the following options. Press 1 for instructions on how to use this system, press 2 to search by case number, press 3 to search by participant's name, press 4 to search by participant's social security number or tax ID."

Susan is a first-time user, so she presses 1. She hears:

"For any option, enter data using the keys on your touch tone phone. For numbers, use the keys 0-9. For letters, use the key with the letter above it. Use 1 for the letters Q and Z. For a name search, enter the letters of the name followed by the pound (#) sign. Pressing star (*) at any time will allow you to begin a new request."

Susan presses 3 and hears:

"Enter the party's last name, then first name and middle initial if possible. For a company, enter the full name. Ignore spaces, periods and any non-letter characters. Press the pound sign to end."

She enters the name "ABC Mutual" by pressing the keys with the correct letters on them (222688825) then the # key to signal the end of her name input.

The computer responds with an indication that it is searching. After a brief pause, Susan hears the following (synthesized speech is in italics, prerecorded speech is in bold print):

The debtor in case nine six one five two eight is ABC Mutual Corporation, Tax ID one two three four five six seven eight nine. The case was filed voluntarily under chapter 11 on August 20, 1996, as a business case. Assets are reported. The attorney for debtor ABC Mutual Corporation is Daniel Webster, at seven zero three five five five one two three four. The trustee is Jane Smith. The judge is the Honorable John Marshall. The case status is awaiting 341 meeting. The first meeting of creditors will be held on Oct. 28 at 10:00 at room 200, U. S. Court House. The last day to file a claim is Nov. 20, 1996. For more information about this case, please contact the attorney, Daniel Webster at seven zero three five five five one two three four. To hear the party names spelled, press 1 or 2 for no