Dec 15, 2008 — Bankruptcy cases filed in federal courts totaled 1,042,993 for the 12-month period ending September 30, 2008, up more than 30 percent when compared to the 801,269 filings in Fiscal Year 2007, according to statistics released today by the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts. The September 2008 filings are the highest of any 12-month period since the 2006 implementation of the Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act of 2005, when there were 1,112,542 filings in the 12-month period ending September 30, 2006.
The federal Judiciary’s fiscal year is the 12-month period ending September 30. The bankruptcies reported today are for October 1, 2007 through September 30, 2008. Additional statistics released today include business and non-business filings for the 12-month period ending September 30, 2008 (Table F-2, 12-month); a comparison of September 2007 and 2008 filings (Table F), 3rd quarter filings (Table F-2, 3-month); monthly filings for the 12-month period ending September 30, 2008 (Table F-2, Monthly); and filings per capita.
Business and Non-Business Filings
For the 12-month period ending September 30, 2008, business filings totaled 38,651, up 49 percent from the 25,925 business filings in September 2007. There were 27,333 business bankruptcy filings in September 2006. Non-business filings totaled 1,004,342, up 30 percent from the 775,344 non-business bankruptcy filings in September 2007. In September 2006, non-business bankruptcy filings totaled 1,085,209.
Filings Under Chapters 7, 11, 12 and 13
In FY 2008, filings rose for all bankruptcy Chapters except for Chapter 12 of the Bankruptcy Code.
- Chapter 7 filings in FY 2008 totaled 679,982, up 40 percent from the 484,162, Chapter 7 filings in FY 2007.
- Chapter 11 filings rose 49 percent, increasing from 5,888 in FY 2007 to 8,799 in FY 2008.
- Chapter 13 filings rose 14 percent, from 310,802 in FY 2007 to 353,828 in FY 2008.
- Chapter 12 is designed to meet the needs of financially distressed family farmers. In FY 2008, Chapter 12 filings totaled 332, down 8 percent from the 361 Chapter 12 filings in FY 2007.
Fourth Quarter Filings
The 3-month period ending September 30, 2008, was the Judiciary’s final quarter of fiscal year 2008. Bankruptcy filings in the fourth quarter totaled 292,291, up 34 percent from the 218,909 bankruptcy cases filed in the final quarter of FY 2007. For a breakdown of filings by all chapters for the quarter, see Table F-2, 3-month period. For more on bankruptcy and its chapters, visit the Judiciary's web site or go to www.fjc.gov/federal/courts.nsf. Local bankruptcy court rules and historic data on bankruptcy filings are also available. Additional bankruptcy statistics, including bankruptcies by county, can be found on the Judiciary's PACER system.
FY |
Business |
Non-Business |
TOTAL |
2008 |
38,651 |
1,004,342 |
1,042,993 |
2007 |
25,925 |
775,344 |
801,269 |
2006 |
27,333 |
1,085,209 |
1,112,542 |
2005 |
34,222 |
1,748,421 |
1,782,643 |
2004 |
34,817 |
1,584,170 |
1,618,987 |
| | Chapter |
Year |
7 |
11 |
12 |
13 |
2008 |
679,982 |
8,799 |
332 |
353,828 |
2007 |
484,162 |
5,888 |
361 |
310,802 |
2006 |
833,147 |
6,003 |
376 |
272,937 |
2005 |
1,346,201 |
6,637 |
364 |
429,316 |
2004 |
1,153,865 |
10,368 |
238 |
454,412 |
Month |
Filings 2007 |
Filings 2008 |
July |
70,869 |
98,202 |
August |
78,963 |
96,056 |
September |
69,077 |
98,033 |
| PERIOD | FILINGS | PERIOD | FILINGS | PERIOD | FILINGS |
SEPT. 30, 2008 |
292,291 |
JUN. 30, 2004 |
421,110 |
JUN. 30, 2000 |
321,729 |
JUN. 30, 2008 |
276,510 |
MAR. 31, 2004 |
407,572 |
MAR. 31, 2000 |
312,335 |
MAR. 31, 2008 |
245,695 |
DEC. 31, 2003 |
393,348 |
DEC. 31, 1999 |
318,634 |
DEC. 31, 2007 |
226,413 |
SEPT. 30, 2003 |
412,989 |
SEPT. 30, 1999 |
323,550 |
SEPT. 30, 2007 |
218,909 |
JUN. 30, 2003 |
440,257 |
JUN. 30, 1999 |
345,956 |
JUN. 30, 2007 |
210,449 |
MAR. 31, 2003 |
412,968 |
MAR. 31, 1999 |
330,784 |
MAR. 31, 2007 |
193,641 |
DEC. 31, 2002 |
395,129 |
DEC. 31, 1998 |
353,108 |
DEC. 31, 2006 |
177,599 |
SEPT. 30, 2002 |
401,306 |
SEPT. 30, 1998 |
361,205 |
SEPT. 30, 2006 |
171,146 |
JUN. 30, 2002 |
400,686 |
JUN. 30, 1998 |
373,460 |
JUN. 30, 2006 |
155,833 |
MAR. 31, 2002 |
379,012 |
MAR. 31, 1998 |
354,118 |
MAR. 31, 2006 |
116,771 |
DEC. 31, 2001 |
364,921 |
DEC. 31, 1997 |
347,685 |
DEC. 31, 2005 |
667,431 |
SEPT. 30, 2001 |
359,518 |
SEPT. 30, 1997 |
353,515 |
SEPT. 30, 2005 |
542,002 |
JUN. 30, 2001 |
400,394 |
JUN. 30, 1997 |
367,168 |
JUN. 30, 2005 |
467,333 |
MAR. 31, 2001 |
366,841 |
MAR. 31, 1997 |
335,073 |
MAR.31, 2005 |
401,149 |
DEC. 31, 2000 |
310,169 |
DEC. 31, 1996 |
311,131 |
DEC. 31, 2004 |
371,668 |
SEPT. 30, 2000 |
308,718 |
SEPT. 30, 1996 |
303,309 |
SEPT. 30, 2004 |
396,438 |
|
|
JUN. 30, 1996 |
297,162 |
* Because of ongoing corrections to the bankruptcy database, the quarterly data may not total to the most recent annual figures.
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