Yes it is public record through most counties and some you can do an overall background on people for criminal, traffic and credit history with the right info.

Yes, bankruptcy filings are part of the public record. If you went to the Bankruptcy Court and asked to look at records, you would be allowed to do so.

The Bankruptcy Court websites, however, require you to have a login and password to view the records of bankruptcy cases. This is done through the PACER system (which stands for Public Access to Court Electronic Records). There is a fee per page for viewing records. When you register for an account, you will need to provide the court with your credit card information and you will be billed for documents that you viewed online. The fee is 8 cents per page, and is capped at $2.40 per document. However Judicial Conference Policy also provide that if your PACER bill is less than $10 per quarter, then your fees are waived and you do not have to pay them.