Not all courts can deal with bankruptcy matters. Bankruptcy petitions can be presented at the High Court in London, or in a county court that deals with bankruptcy matters. Generally, you should take your petition for bankruptcy to the court that deals with the area where you have lived or traded for the longest period in the previous 6 months. If you live in one court district and run your business in another, you should go to the court dealing with the district where your business is, as this takes priority over your home address.
If you are not sure which court to go to, you should telephone your nearest county court for advice. The address and phone number of your local county court is listed under 'Courts' in the phone book; you should look for 'civil courts - county courts' and not magistrates' courts. The courts are usually open to the public from 10am to 4pm Monday to Friday. You will need to contact the court to find out if it has jurisdiction to hear a bankruptcy case. The Court Service website has a list of county courts with bankruptcy jurisdiction, and an index of county courts which will show you the geographical jurisdiction of each.
