Annual Business and Non-business Filings by District (1980-1984)

ABI World

	1980				1981				1982				1983				1984
District	Total Filings	Business Filings	Non-Business Filings	Percent Consumer	Total Filings	Business Filings	Non-Business Filings	Percent Consumer	Total Filings	Business Filings	Non-Business Filings	Percent Consumer	Total Filings	Business Filings	Non-Business Filings	Percent Consumer	Total Filings	Business Filings	Non-Business Filings	Percent Consumer
District of Alaska	488	276	212	43.44%	414	219	195	47.10%	367	213	154	41.96%	327	152	175	53.52%	433	220	213	49.19%
Middle District of Alabama	2163	257	1906	88.12%	2170	345	1825	84.10%	2121	399	1722	81.19%	1662	290	1372	82.55%	1717	264	1453	84.62%
Northern District of Alabama	7057	631	6426	91.06%	7807	628	7179	91.96%	7858	698	7160	91.12%	7031	457	6574	93.50%	6996	512	6484	92.68%
Southern District of Alabama	1121	168	953	85.01%	1269	181	1088	85.74%	1377	175	1202	87.29%	1297	144	1153	88.90%	1237	198	1039	83.99%
Eastern District of Arkansas	1844	161	1683	91.27%	1974	189	1785	90.43%	2072	320	1752	84.56%	2035	259	1776	87.27%	2731	483	2248	82.31%
Western District of Arkansas	681	103	578	84.88%	762	106	656	86.09%	836	177	659	78.83%	779	154	625	80.23%	989	260	729	73.71%
District of Arizona	4063	842	3221	79.28%	4384	992	3392	77.37%	5095	1312	3783	74.25%	4970	1468	3502	70.46%	4839	1392	3447	71.23%
Central District of California	20207	2262	17945	88.81%	25643	3207	22436	87.49%	33575	5028	28547	85.02%	35066	5097	29969	85.46%	34721	4029	30692	88.40%
Eastern District of California	8457	1432	7025	83.07%	10031	1980	8051	80.26%	10717	2764	7953	74.21%	10373	2424	7949	76.63%	9690	2528	7162	73.91%
Northern District of California	12871	1624	11247	87.38%	13208	2254	10954	82.93%	14699	3465	11234	76.43%	13184	3222	9962	75.56%	11883	2591	9292	78.20%
Southern District of California	3787	552	3235	85.42%	4325	726	3599	83.21%	5799	905	4894	84.39%	6013	771	5242	87.18%	5588	861	4727	84.59%
District of Colorado	5970	1105	4865	81.49%	6115	1602	4513	73.80%	6092	1746	4346	71.34%	5882	1517	4365	74.21%	6475	1995	4480	69.19%
District of Connecticut	2265	435	1830	80.79%	2732	412	2320	84.92%	2727	473	2254	82.65%	2079	437	1642	78.98%	1852	339	1513	81.70%
District of Columbia	598	42	556	92.98%	721	62	659	91.40%	764	83	681	89.14%	719	93	626	87.07%	636	103	533	83.81%
District of Delaware	495	55	440	88.89%	590	43	547	92.71%	507	72	435	85.80%	446	70	376	84.30%	442	52	390	88.24%
Middle District of Florida	3806	655	3151	82.79%	4601	762	3839	83.44%	5113	1050	4063	79.46%	4613	892	3721	80.66%	5145	1263	3882	75.45%
Northern District of Florida	488	110	378	77.46%	583	166	417	71.53%	602	235	367	60.96%	512	149	363	70.90%	607	248	359	59.14%
Southern District of Florida	1718	278	1440	83.82%	2189	405	1784	81.50%	2543	599	1944	76.45%	2395	566	1829	76.37%	2478	583	1895	76.47%
Middle District of Georgia	3061	255	2806	91.67%	3083	287	2796	90.69%	3304	391	2913	88.17%	3094	330	2764	89.33%	3151	308	2843	90.23%
Northern District of Georgia	6013	580	5433	90.35%	7062	744	6318	89.46%	8063	1254	6809	84.45%	7571	1067	6504	85.91%	7764	1101	6663	85.82%
Southern District of Georgia	1794	272	1522	84.84%	1985	271	1714	86.35%	2128	271	1857	87.27%	2120	239	1881	88.73%	2175	180	1995	91.72%
District of Hawaii	794	224	570	71.79%	767	251	516	67.28%	743	254	489	65.81%	645	275	370	57.36%	614	225	389	63.36%
Northern District of Iowa	1605	591	1014	63.18%	1758	536	1222	69.51%	1758	816	942	53.58%	1574	781	793	50.38%	1888	971	917	48.57%
Southern District of Iowa	2165	337	1828	84.43%	2397	432	1965	81.98%	1912	605	1307	68.36%	1824	591	1233	67.60%	2025	663	1362	67.26%
District of Idaho	2158	467	1691	78.36%	2287	375	1912	83.60%	2482	420	2062	83.08%	2099	615	1484	70.70%	2233	667	1566	70.13%
Central District of Illinois	5991	797	5194	86.70%	4509	471	4038	89.55%	4962	999	3963	79.87%	4941	1065	3876	78.45%	5253	1099	4154	79.08%
Northern District of Illinois	19889	1963	17926	90.13%	17357	1188	16169	93.16%	18796	2252	16544	88.02%	17475	2105	15370	87.95%	18007	2011	15996	88.83%
Southern District of Illinois	1632	335	1297	79.47%	1463	204	1259	86.06%	1750	402	1348	77.03%	1655	460	1195	72.21%	1728	534	1194	69.10%
Northern District of Indiana	4996	357	4639	92.85%	5443	378	5065	93.06%	5489	669	4820	87.81%	5184	648	4536	87.50%	4883	576	4307	88.20%
Southern District of Indiana	7836	485	7351	93.81%	7763	414	7349	94.67%	7491	914	6577	87.80%	7082	637	6445	91.01%	7067	713	6354	89.91%
District of Kansas	4450	737	3713	83.44%	4291	653	3638	84.78%	4425	685	3740	84.52%	4122	542	3580	86.85%	4417	944	3473	78.63%
Eastern District of Kentucky	2507	366	2141	85.40%	2875	438	2437	84.77%	2812	612	2200	78.24%	2404	305	2099	87.31%	2379	489	1890	79.45%
Western District of Kentucky	5199	178	5021	96.58%	4620	339	4281	92.66%	4411	487	3924	88.96%	4096	439	3657	89.28%	4281	442	3839	89.68%
Eastern District of Louisiana	2098	261	1837	87.56%	2404	297	2107	87.65%	2897	469	2428	83.81%	2716	463	2253	82.95%	2769	479	2290	82.70%
Middle District of Louisiana	564	106	458	81.21%	630	108	522	82.86%	768	214	554	72.14%	891	100	791	88.78%	1031	125	906	87.88%
Western District of Louisiana	2307	324	1983	85.96%	2257	386	1871	82.90%	2739	611	2128	77.69%	3081	734	2347	76.18%	3127	688	2439	78.00%
District of Massachusetts	3122	479	2643	84.66%	3393	404	2989	88.09%	3299	619	2680	81.24%	2552	523	2029	79.51%	2251	485	1766	78.45%
District of Maryland	3991	425	3566	89.35%	4945	357	4588	92.78%	4398	432	3966	90.18%	3928	466	3462	88.14%	3783	438	3345	88.42%
District of Maine	1039	293	746	71.80%	974	249	725	74.44%	855	296	559	65.38%	663	196	467	70.44%	599	178	421	70.28%
Eastern District of Michigan	9649	602	9047	93.76%	9683	733	8950	92.43%	9660	1018	8642	89.46%	7271	921	6350	87.33%	5788	768	5020	86.73%
Western District of Michigan	4413	790	3623	82.10%	5182	933	4249	82.00%	4311	851	3460	80.26%	3515	703	2812	80.00%	3151	713	2438	77.37%
District of Minnesota	4765	858	3907	81.99%	5543	972	4571	82.46%	5255	1392	3863	73.51%	4620	1358	3262	70.61%	5076	1368	3708	73.05%
Eastern District of Missouri	3351	460	2891	86.27%	3609	354	3255	90.19%	3723	741	2982	80.10%	2824	438	2386	84.49%	2897	450	2447	84.47%
Western District of Missouri	4256	707	3549	83.39%	3991	573	3418	85.64%	4058	1120	2938	72.40%	3482	646	2836	81.45%	4087	1220	2867	70.15%
Northern District of Mississippi	1087	102	985	90.62%	1271	206	1065	83.79%	1322	246	1076	81.39%	1165	155	1010	86.70%	1240	148	1092	88.06%
Southern District of Mississippi	3520	76	3444	97.84%	3901	115	3786	97.05%	4052	229	3823	94.35%	3629	199	3430	94.52%	3387	186	3201	94.51%
District of Montana	1036	190	846	81.66%	1180	225	955	80.93%	990	192	798	80.61%	993	271	722	72.71%	948	216	732	77.22%
Eastern District of North Carolina	2975	303	2672	89.82%	3114	358	2756	88.50%	2590	428	2162	83.47%	2111	406	1705	80.77%	1950	292	1658	85.03%
Middle District of North Carolina	2929	274	2655	90.65%	2816	285	2531	89.88%	2342	346	1996	85.23%	1675	317	1358	81.07%	1523	233	1290	84.70%
Western District of North Carolina	1661	185	1476	88.86%	2122	164	1958	92.27%	1882	246	1636	86.93%	1300	200	1100	84.62%	1398	308	1090	77.97%
District of North Dakota	551	188	363	65.88%	576	188	388	67.36%	715	321	394	55.10%	653	362	291	44.56%	654	317	337	51.53%
District of Nebraska	2834	477	2357	83.17%	2546	377	2169	85.19%	2289	614	1675	73.18%	2215	530	1685	76.07%	2565	613	1952	76.10%
District of New Hampshire	727	159	568	78.13%	806	137	669	83.00%	715	213	502	70.21%	553	175	378	68.35%	497	115	382	76.86%
District of New Jersey	5623	988	4635	82.43%	7808	1039	6769	86.69%	8991	1568	7423	82.56%	7334	706	6628	90.37%	6744	1253	5491	81.42%
District of New Mexico	1450	164	1286	88.69%	1398	153	1245	89.06%	1432	213	1219	85.13%	1498	191	1307	87.25%	1585	275	1310	82.65%
District of Nevada	2223	359	1864	83.85%	2620	486	2134	81.45%	2829	631	2198	77.70%	2858	583	2275	79.60%	2776	521	2255	81.23%
Easter District of New York	8049	1146	6903	85.76%	8036	877	7159	89.09%	6426	911	5515	85.82%	4932	669	4263	86.44%	4547	527	4020	88.41%
Northern District of New York	4939	774	4165	84.33%	4945	540	4405	89.08%	4587	899	3688	80.40%	3231	765	2466	76.32%	2667	576	2091	78.40%
Southern District of New York	3483	518	2965	85.13%	4021	516	3505	87.17%	4009	828	3181	79.35%	3000	676	2324	77.47%	2841	625	2216	78.00%
Western District of New York	5596	762	4834	86.38%	5847	668	5179	88.58%	5206	892	4314	82.87%	4154	883	3271	78.74%	3847	883	2964	77.05%
Northern District of Ohio	13256	646	12610	95.13%	14513	946	13567	93.48%	13363	1110	12253	91.69%	10416	1034	9382	90.07%	9565	981	8584	89.74%
Southern District of Ohio	12129	796	11333	93.44%	12604	1144	11460	90.92%	12145	1668	10477	86.27%	10453	1425	9028	86.37%	10139	1401	8738	86.18%
Eastern District of Oklahoma	475	118	357	75.16%	465	125	340	73.12%	572	179	393	68.71%	632	195	437	69.15%	659	190	469	71.17%
Northern District of Oklahoma	1657	266	1391	83.95%	1436	234	1202	83.70%	1707	399	1308	76.63%	1948	377	1571	80.65%	2011	487	1524	75.78%
Western District of Oklahoma	2657	203	2454	92.36%	2262	123	2139	94.56%	2601	421	2180	83.81%	3587	491	3096	86.31%	3898	421	3477	89.20%
District of Oregon	4914	801	4113	83.70%	6115	1295	4820	78.82%	5650	1535	4115	72.83%	5867	1333	4534	77.28%	6149	1530	4619	75.12%
Eastern District of Pennsylvania	3451	380	3071	88.99%	5385	471	4914	91.25%	6246	595	5651	90.47%	5009	537	4472	89.28%	4482	545	3937	87.84%
Middle District of Pennsylvania	1557	295	1262	81.05%	2238	406	1832	81.86%	2163	601	1562	72.21%	1694	453	1241	73.26%	1532	426	1106	72.19%
Western District of Pennsylvania	2730	616	2114	77.44%	4394	630	3764	85.66%	4838	923	3915	80.92%	3332	632	2700	81.03%	3166	554	2612	82.50%
District of Rhode Island	974	185	789	81.01%	1038	161	877	84.49%	1115	260	855	76.68%	896	166	730	81.47%	713	130	583	81.77%
District of South Carolina	1187	219	968	81.55%	1997	223	1774	88.83%	2203	319	1884	85.52%	1941	282	1659	85.47%	2033	229	1804	88.74%
District of South Dakota	667	270	397	59.52%	703	289	414	58.89%	782	438	344	43.99%	773	435	338	43.73%	867	354	513	59.17%
Eastern District of Tennessee	4205	459	3746	89.08%	4591	578	4013	87.41%	4683	842	3841	82.02%	4358	868	3490	80.08%	4351	795	3556	81.73%
Middle District of Tennessee	3923	490	3433	87.51%	4093	617	3476	84.93%	4335	904	3431	79.15%	3545	656	2889	81.50%	3346	489	2857	85.39%
Western District of Tennessee	4935	161	4774	96.74%	6224	251	5973	95.97%	6388	288	6100	95.49%	5864	214	5650	96.35%	6321	186	6135	97.06%
Eastern District of Texas	367	118	249	67.85%	593	172	421	70.99%	747	287	460	61.58%	807	336	471	58.36%	887	355	532	59.98%
Northern District of Texas	2229	683	1546	69.36%	3245	1051	2194	67.61%	3762	1622	2140	56.88%	3789	1578	2211	58.35%	4362	2033	2329	53.39%
Southern District of Texas	2509	647	1862	74.21%	3871	637	3234	83.54%	4254	1002	3252	76.45%	5628	1754	3874	68.83%	6397	1951	4446	69.50%
Western District of Texas	2918	373	2545	87.22%	2627	442	2185	83.17%	2719	534	2185	80.36%	2887	601	2286	79.18%	2951	582	2369	80.28%
District of Utah	2739	727	2012	73.46%	3824	942	2882	75.37%	3402	1041	2361	69.40%	3440	941	2499	72.65%	3583	1042	2541	70.92%
Eastern District of Virginia	6149	691	5458	88.76%	6299	551	5748	91.25%	6105	926	5179	84.83%	5735	718	5017	87.48%	5855	703	5152	87.99%
Western District of Virginia	3077	603	2474	80.40%	3386	518	2868	84.70%	3347	814	2533	75.68%	2907	703	2204	75.82%	2676	626	2050	76.61%
District of Vermont	275	100	175	63.64%	277	80	197	71.12%	289	139	150	51.90%	255	106	149	58.43%	213	99	114	53.52%
Eastern District of Washington	2206	519	1687	76.47%	2398	608	1790	74.65%	2382	695	1687	70.82%	2333	443	1890	81.01%	2789	614	2175	77.98%
Western District of Washington	5452	815	4637	85.05%	6295	962	5333	84.72%	6717	1218	5499	81.87%	6697	1087	5610	83.77%	7491	1057	6434	85.89%
Eastern District of Wisconsin	3200	547	2653	82.91%	4035	531	3504	86.84%	4737	977	3760	79.38%	4991	911	4080	81.75%	5202	899	4303	82.72%
Western District of Wisconsin	1999	319	1680	84.04%	2245	410	1835	81.74%	2336	865	1471	62.97%	2149	815	1334	62.08%	2450	1052	1398	57.06%
Northern District of West Virginia	725	147	578	79.72%	1003	162	841	83.85%	956	266	690	72.18%	655	212	443	67.63%	566	174	392	69.26%
Southern District of West Virginia	1032	167	865	83.82%	1311	74	1237	94.36%	1255	174	1081	86.14%	1345	211	1134	84.31%	1296	259	1037	80.02%
District of Wyoming	510	115	395	77.45%	549	139	410	74.68%	662	243	419	63.29%	837	368	469	56.03%	979	447	532	54.34%
District of Guam	30	4	26	86.67%	33	8	25	75.76%	30	8	22	73.33%	33	9	24	72.73%	47	21	26	55.32%
District of the Northern Mariana Islands	0	0	0	0.00%	0	0	0	0.00%	0	0	0	0.00%	1	0	1	100.00%	3	2	1	33.33%
District of Puerto Rico	707	302	405	57.28%	1070	370	700	65.42%	2016	717	1299	64.43%	1929	626	1303	67.55%	1466	512	954	65.08%
United States	331264	43694	287570	86.81%	363943	48125	315818	86.78%	380251	69300	310951	81.78%	348880	62436	286444	82.10%	348521	64004	284517	81.64%

Read more about Annual Business and Non-business Filings by District (1980-1984)

First Quarter Bankruptcy Filings Fall 16 Percent from 2012 Commercial Filings Drop 27 Percent

April 4, 2013

NEWS AND ANALYSIS

FIRST QUARTER BANKRUPTCY FILINGS FALL 16 PERCENT FROM 2012, COMMERCIAL FILINGS DROP 27 PERCENT

Total bankruptcy filings in the United States decreased 16 percent in the first calendar quarter (Jan. 1 - March 31) of 2013 from the same period in 2012, according to data provided by Epiq Systems, Inc. Bankruptcy filings totaled 263,516 in the first quarter of 2013, down from the 314,832 filings registered in the first calendar quarter of 2012. Total commercial filings for the first three months of 2012 were 11,521, representing a 27 percent decrease from the 15,869 filings during the same period in 2012. The 251,995 total noncommercial filings recorded in the first calendar quarter of 2013 represented a 16 percent decrease from the 2012 total of 298,963. Click here to read the full ABI press release.

Click here to access the March 2013 bankruptcy filing data charts.

NEW BANKRUPTCY CLAIMS TRANSFER FEE TO TAKE EFFECT MAY 1

Federal bankruptcy courts will institute a new $25 fee for filing evidence of claims transfers, transactions in which bankruptcy claims are sold by one creditor to another, usually as part of a speculative investment, according to a release today by the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts. The fee, approved last September by the Judicial Conference of the United States, will take effect May 1. The fee will be assessed by bankruptcy courts on each individual claim or partial claim that is transferred, and it must be paid by the creditor that files evidence of the transfer (typically the claim transfer form) with the courts. Debtors filing for bankruptcy will not be affected by the fee. The fee must be paid by credit card, using Pay.gov, when the claims transfer is filed with the courts' Case Management/Electronic Case Files system, or by whatever means is designated by the court if the claims transfer is not filed electronically. Read more.

OBAMA ADMINISTRATION PUSHES BANKS TO MAKE HOME LOANS TO PEOPLE WITH WEAKER CREDIT

The Obama administration is engaged in a broad push to make more home loans available to people with weaker credit, an effort that officials say will help power the economic recovery but that skeptics say could open the door to the risky lending that caused the housing crash in the first place, the Washington Post reported yesterday. President Obama's economic advisers and outside experts say the nation's housing rebound is leaving too many people behind, including young people looking to buy their first homes and individuals with credit records weakened by the recession. In response, administration officials say that they are working to get banks to lend to a wider range of borrowers by taking advantage of taxpayer-backed programs — including those offered by the Federal Housing Administration — that insure home loans against default. Housing officials are urging the Justice Department to provide assurances to banks, which have become increasingly cautious, that they will not face legal or financial recriminations if they make loans to riskier borrowers who meet government standards but later default. Officials are also encouraging lenders to use more subjective judgment in determining whether to offer a loan and are seeking to make it easier for people who owe more than their properties are worth to refinance at today's low interest rates, among other steps. Read more.

In related news, the improving job market is lifting incomes and helping families repair credit scores, expanding the pool of eligible buyers and providing additional firepower to the housing recovery, Bloomberg News reported yesterday. About 7 million mortgageholders have had to leave their homes since 2007 because of foreclosure or a short sale, in which a property is sold for less than is owed, according to RealtyTrac. More than 1 million of them are now eligible for mortgages backed by the Federal Housing Administration, which requires a three-year waiting period and a minimum 3.5 percent down payment, said Mark Zandi, chief economist for Moody’s Analytics Inc. While many Americans will be blocked from buying because of insufficient credit, savings and income, eligible households will expand to nearly 2 million by the end of 2014, Zandi said. Read more.

ANALYSIS: AS BUSINESS LENDING INCREASES, CONCERNS EMERGE ABOUT PROFIT

The recent uptick in bank business lending is starting to flash some warning signs that banks are making loans to businesses at rates that are so low they may end up being unprofitable, the New York Times DealBook blog reported yesterday. A recent survey by the Federal Reserve shows that American banks are charging an average of just 2.83 percent on commercial and industrial loans, down from 3.4 percent a year earlier. Banks of all sizes are participating in this resurgence, including smaller banks, which managed to avoid many of the excesses of the credit boom of the last decade. Extraordinarily low interest rates have breathed life into several markets where companies go to borrow. Last year, companies issued nearly $360 billion of junk bonds in the U.S., according to Dealogic. Less noticed was the increase in commercial and industrial loans at American banks. They added $174 billion of such loans in 2012, a 13 percent increase from the prior year, according to figures from the Fed. Read more.

GAO: 401(K) COMPANIES OFTEN MISLEAD ACCOUNT-HOLDERS

Money management firms frequently offer workers misleading and self-serving information about how to handle their retirement savings when they change jobs, according to a Government Accountability Office report released yesterday, the Washington Post reported. Departing workers are often encouraged to roll their accounts into individual retirement accounts (IRAs) run by the firms that already manage their retirement money, even when it would be best for the outgoing employees to keep their money in a 401(k), the GAO investigation concluded. Having workers move their money into IRAs typically allows money management companies to harvest bigger fees for handling the retirement money, the report said. The GAO had undercover investigators call 30 money management firms posing as workers about to change jobs in an effort to learn how money managers market their services. In seven cases, they were given incorrect information, including that moving their money into an IRA would be "free," even though workers would incur ongoing fees by opening the accounts. The GAO also reviewed the websites of 10 large firms and found that five incorrectly said that their IRAs were free. Read more.

LATEST ABI PODCAST EXAMINES BANKRUPTCY VALUATION ISSUES

ABI's latest podcast features ABI Resident Scholar Prof. Scott Pryor speaking with Dr. Israel Shaked of The Michel-Shaked Group (Boston) and Robert F. Reilly of Willamette Management Associates Inc. (Chicago), authors of a new ABI publication, A Practical Guide to Bankruptcy Valuation. Shaked and Reilly discuss their book and other issues involved in the complex task of valuing a bankrupt or financially distressed business. Click here to listen to the podcast.

For more information or to purchase A Practical Guide to Bankruptcy Valuation, please click here.

BLOOMBERG'S LATEST "BILL ON BANKRUPTCY" VIDEO: STOCKTON MAY WIN THE BATTLE, BUT LOSE THE WAR

Although Stockton, Calif. established the right to be in a chapter 9 municipal bankruptcy, the judge warned the city that victory may be short-lived if bondholders prove that pensioners must take a haircut along with other unsecured creditors. The latest Bloomberg bankruptcy video with Bloomberg Law's Lee Pacchia and Bloomberg News bankruptcy columnist Bill Rochelle examines the issue. Click here to watch.

TOMORROW! DON’T MISS THE ABI LIVE WEBINAR – "LEGACY LIABILITIES: DEALING WITH ENVIRONMENTAL, PENSION, UNION AND SIMILAR TYPES OF CLAIMS"

A panel of experts has been assembled for a webinar on April 5 from 1-2:15 p.m. ET to discuss environmental and pension liabilities, the statutory schemes under which these liabilities arise and the key players involved. Are non-monetary environmental claims dischargeable? Do post-petition expenditures for environmental cleanup constitute administrative expenses? When can an employer terminate a pension plan in bankruptcy, what is the process and what are the consequences? Learn the answer to these questions and more from the comfort of your own office. Special ABI member rate is available! Register here.

HOTEL BLOCK FOR ABI'S ANNUAL SPRING MEETING ALMOST SOLD OUT! REGISTER TODAY!

The hotel block at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in National Harbor, Md., is almost sold out for ABI’s 2013 Annual Spring Meeting! Held April 18-21, 2013, ASM features a roster of the best national speakers, while the depth and scope of topics offer something for everyone. Specifically, four concurrent workshops will cover various “tracks,” including programs for attorneys in commercial cases, a track for restructuring professionals, a track of professional development programming and a track dealing solely with consumer issues. More than 16 hours of CLE/CPE is offered in some states, along with ethics credit totaling 3 hours, making the cost only about $50 per credit. In addition, committee sessions will drill down on other topics to provide you with the most practical and varied CLE/CPE experience ever. Sessions include:

• 17th Annual Great Debates
• Mediation: An Irrational Approach to a Rational Result
• Creditors’ Committees and the Role of Indenture Trustees and Related Issues
• Current Issues for Financial Advisors in Bankruptcy Cases
• The Individual Conundrum: Chapter 7, 11 or 13?
• The Power to Veto Bankruptcy Sales
• Real Estate Issues in Health Care Restructurings
• How to Be a Successful Expert
• The Ethical Compass: Multiple Ethical Schemes Applicable to Financial Advisors
• Chapter 9s, Nonprofits and Other Nontraditional Restructuring Processes
• And much more!

The Spring Meeting will also feature a field hearing of the ABI Commission to Study the Reform of Chapter 11, a report from the ABI Ethics Task Force, a luncheon panel discussion moderated by Bill Rochelle of Bloomberg News, and a Final Night Gala Dinner featuring a concert by Joan Jett and the Blackhearts!

Make sure to register today!

ABI IN-DEPTH

LATEST CASE SUMMARY ON VOLO: ARROYO V. SCOTIABANK DE PUERTO RICO (IN RE ARROYO; 1ST CIR.)

Summarized by William Amann of Craig, Deachman & Amann PLLC

The First Circuit ruled that a chapter 7 debtor lacked standing to appeal because he could not demonstrate that either (1) a reasonable possibility existed that a surplus would exist if the order on appeal was denied or (2) the appealed order adversely affected his discharge.

There are more than 800 appellate opinions summarized on Volo, and summaries typically appear within 24 hours of the ruling. Click here regularly to view the latest case summaries on ABI’s Volo website.

NEW ON ABI’S BANKRUPTCY BLOG EXCHANGE: FURTHER EXAMINATION OF STOCKTON'S ONGOING CHAPTER 9 CASE

The Bankruptcy Blog Exchange is a free ABI service that tracks 35 bankruptcy-related blogs. A recent post takes a closer look at Stockton, Calif.'s chapter 9 case, which was allowed to continue after Bankruptcy Judge Christopher Klein on Monday issued a bench ruling finding that Stockton is an eligible debtor and therefore entitled to remain in bankruptcy.

Be sure to check the site several times each day; any time a contributing blog posts a new story, a link to the story will appear on the top. If you have a blog that deals with bankruptcy, or know of a good blog that should be part of the Bankruptcy Exchange, please contact the ABI Web team.

TEE OFF ON THE NEW ABI GOLF TOUR!

Starting with the Annual Spring Meeting, ABI will offer conference registrants the option to participate in the ABI Golf Tour. The Tour will take place concurrently with all conference golf tournaments. The Tour is designed to enhance the golfing experience for serious golfers, while still offering a fun networking opportunity for players of any ability. As opposed to the format used at ABI’s regular conference events, Tour participants will "play their own ball." They will be grouped on the golf course separately from other conference golf participants and will typically play ahead of the other participants, expediting Tour play. Tour participants will be randomly grouped in foursomes, unless otherwise requested of the Commissioner in advance of each tournament. Prizes will be awarded for each individual Tour event, which are sponsored by Great American Group. The grand prize is the "Great American Cup," also sponsored by Great American Group, which will be awarded to the top player at the end of the Tour season. Registration is free. Click here for more information and a list of 2013 ABI Golf Tour event venues.

ABI Quick Poll

The scope of protection of "financial contracts" in bankruptcy should be rolled back to what it was before BAPCPA expanded it in 2005.

Click here to vote on this week's Quick Poll. Click here to view the results of previous Quick Polls.

INSOL INTERNATIONAL

INSOL International is a worldwide federation of national associations for accountants and lawyers who specialize in turnaround and insolvency. There are currently 37 member associations worldwide with more than 9,000 professionals participating as members of INSOL International. As a member association of INSOL, ABI's members receive a discounted subscription rate. See ABI's enrollment page for details.

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Join our networks to expand yours.

TOMORROW:

April 5, 2013
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COMING UP

April 10, 2013
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April 18, 2013
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April 18-21, 2013
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May 15, 2013
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May 16, 2013
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May 21-24, 2013
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June 7, 2013
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June 13-16, 2013
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July 11-14, 2013
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July 18-21, 2013
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SWEETEST BANKRUPTCY CONFERENCE ON EARTH: JOIN ABI FOR THE 9TH ANNUAL MID-ATLANTIC BANKRUPTCY WORKSHOP AT THE HISTORIC HOTEL HERSHEY!
Aug. 8-10, 2013
Register Today!

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

2013

April
- ABI Live Webinar: "Legacy Liabilities : Dealing with Environmental, Pension, Union and Similar Types of Claims"
     April 5, 2013
- ABI Live Webinar: "Student Loans: Bankruptcy May Not Have the Answers - But Does Congress?"
     April 10, 2013
- "Nuts and Bolts" Program at ASM
     April 18, 2013 | National Harbor, Md.
- Annual Spring Meeting
     April 18-21, 2013 | National Harbor, Md.

May
- "Nuts and Bolts" Program at NYCBC
     May 15, 2013 | New York, N.Y.
- ABI Endowment Cocktail Reception
     May 15, 2013 | New York, N.Y.
- New York City Bankruptcy Conference
     May 16, 2013 | New York, N.Y.
- Litigation Skills Symposium
     May 21-24, 2013 | Dallas, Texas

June
- Memphis Consumer Bankruptcy Conference
June 7, 2013 | Memphis, Tenn.
- Central States Bankruptcy Workshop
June 13-16, 2013 | Grand Traverse, Mich.

July
- Northeast Bankruptcy Conference and Northeast Consumer Forum
July 11-14, 2013 | Newport, R.I.
- Southeast Bankruptcy Workshop
July 18-21, 2013 | Amelia Island, Fla.

August
- Mid-Atlantic Bankruptcy Workshop
August 8-10, 2013 | Hershey, Pa.

Read more about First Quarter Bankruptcy Filings Fall 16 Percent from 2012 Commercial Filings Drop 27 Percent

Quarterly Non-business Filings by District (2001-2005)

	2001				2002				2003				2004				2005
District	First Quarter	Second Quarter	Third Quarter	Fourth Quarter	First Quarter	Second Quarter	Third Quarter	Fourth Quarter	First Quarter	Second Quarter	Third Quarter	Fourth Quarter	First Quarter	Second Quarter	Third Quarter	Fourth Quarter	First Quarter	Second Quarter	Third Quarter	Fourth Quarter
Middle District of Alabama	2,031	1,938	2,053	2,070	2,087	2,102	2,383	2,199	2,191	2,210	2,281	2,061	2,073	2,028	2,303	2,139	2,095	2,195	2,587	2,689
Northern District of Alabama	5,923	6,052	5,757	5,948	5,997	6,138	6,231	6,037	6,518	6,531	6,572	6,238	6,575	6,700	6,106	6,366	6,891	6,870	8,154	8,315
Southern District of Alabama	1,634	1,664	1,673	1,643	1,787	1,900	1,858	1,807	1,904	1,754	2,004	1,835	1,915	1,849	1,898	1,687	1,885	1,804	1,874	2,122
District of Alaska	290	382	333	363	269	336	352	402	285	393	334	377	338	346	335	424	337	445	608	824
District of Arizona	5,497	6,613	6,233	6,394	6,291	7,603	7,680	7,297	7,143	8,824	7,956	7,188	7,550	8,577	7,895	6,891	7,288	9,833	11,064	11,505
Eastern District of Arkansas	3,463	3,425	3,324	3,318	3,616	3,581	3,900	3,859	3,833	3,839	3,853	3,858	3,973	3,577	4,006	3,869	4,188	4,183	5,274	5,230
Western District of Arkansas	2,069	1,967	1,775	1,853	2,044	2,011	2,129	2,119	2,086	2,277	2,051	2,076	2,278	2,123	2,102	1,960	2,323	2,475	2,966	3,500
Central District of California	21,267	23,965	19,748	20,615	20,703	20,889	20,142	19,915	19,457	19,870	17,852	16,443	16,428	15,820	14,117	12,633	14,485	17,656	21,280	28,838
Eastern District of California	8,008	8,473	7,059	7,446	7,455	7,780	7,513	7,521	7,723	8,045	7,370	6,920	7,163	7,481	7,009	6,175	6,687	7,747	9,200	12,855
Northern District of California	4,746	5,168	4,279	4,421	4,829	5,158	5,037	5,116	5,298	5,814	5,421	5,332	5,335	5,472	5,182	4,868	4,877	6,133	7,669	9,614
Southern District of California	3,254	3,715	3,131	3,070	3,199	3,286	3,068	3,107	3,004	3,113	2,791	2,654	2,953	2,850	2,729	2,525	2,707	3,285	4,293	5,160
District of Colorado	4,162	5,133	4,604	4,432	4,239	5,416	5,656	5459	5,550	7,049	6,655	6,149	6,332	7,515	7,106	6,430	6,786	9,174	11,502	14,711
District of Connecticut	3,034	3,293	2,599	2,529	2,795	3,099	2,853	2,820	3,006	3,318	2,937	2,797	2,880	3,075	2,743	2,585	2,889	3,449	3,750	5,026
District of Delaware	766	749	681	682	700	816	787	837	837	902	848	825	809	891	860	831	839	877	1,025	1,409
District of Columbia	684	680	560	558	661	602	639	549	628	616	528	485	525	496	433	434	481	498	495	912
Middle District of Florida	11,270	13,261	11,790	11,818	12,032	13,536	13,333	13,149	13,178	14,453	13,951	13,192	13,293	14,331	12,209	11,825	12,476	15,002	16,256	19,418
Northern District of Florida	1,537	1,669	1,477	1,404	1,635	1,616	1,663	1,611	1,783	1,818	1,778	1,669	1,711	1,744	1,614	1,495	1,528	1,680	1,876	2,118
Southern District of Florida	7,135	8,694	7,516	7,641	7,216	8,382	8,149	8,082	1,783	8,770	8,003	7,048	6,594	7,495	6,261	6,122	5,657	8,680	9,908	11,647
Middle District of Georgia	4,117	3,979	4,422	4,470	4,122	4,088	4,986	4,569	4,574	4,277	4,596	4,496	4,353	4,347	4,503	4,327	3,848	4,031	4,676	3,757
Northern District of Georgia	9,094	8,948	9,492	10,006	10,318	9,802	10,904	10,359	11,964	11,239	11,079	11,238	11,078	10,668	10,731	10,814	11,359	11,074	12,690	14,257
Southern District of Georgia	3,311	3,506	3,787	3,805	3,501	3,575	4,276	3,851	3,776	3,878	4,369	4,130	3,816	3,743	4,028	3,461	3,434	3,522	4,676	2,806
District of Hawaii	1,286	1,334	1,178	1,173	1,224	1,105	1,123	978	945	1,020	897	857	837	822	670	736	766	955	1,186	1,500
District of Idaho	1,852	2,285	1,980	1,840	2,000	2,366	2,195	2,093	2,142	2,660	2,488	2,144	2,285	2,533	2,321	2,189	2,244	2,787	3,101	3,690
Central District of Illinois	3,639	3,768	3,329	3,536	3,913	3,865	3,845	3,838	4,425	4,191	3,820	3,766	4,111	3,979	3,747	3,598	4,292	4,819	5,351	6,941
Northern District of Illinois	12,497	13,055	11,926	13,089	13,855	13,866	14,287	14,644	15,870	15,217	13,899	13,406	14,419	13,364	13,305	13,159	13,571	15,913	18,210	24,060
Southern District of Illinois	2,148	2,151	1,954	1,938	2,277	2,265	2,092	2,271	2,548	2,523	2,486	2,374	2,505	2,335	2,458	2,330	2,586	2,844	3,546	3,791
Northern District of Indiana	4,327	5,105	4,540	4,730	4,715	5,663	5,271	5,015	5,061	5,773	5,173	4,946	5,146	5,663	5,226	4,513	4,860	6,406	8,065	11,700
Southern District of Indiana	6,542	7,946	6,903	7,363	7,572	8,176	8,361	8,085	7,978	9,102	8,769	8,355	8,045	9,010	8,780	7,554	8,096	2,844	13,173	1,6040
Northern District of Iowa	996	1,276	958	960	949	1,207	1,138	1,145	1,122	1,325	1,203	1,079	1,180	1,311	1,236	1,105	1,373	1,669	1,915	2,175
Southern District of Iowa	1,461	1,866	1,709	1,558	1,623	1,893	1,804	1,690	1,733	2,061	1,973	1,756	1,934	2,178	1,945	1,823	2,173	2,614	3,029	3,302
District of Kansas	3,103	3,896	3,519	3,186	3,110	3,970	3,998	3,639	3,535	4,536	4,160	3,639	3,627	4,545	4,253	3,590	3,822	5,362	5,814	7,373
Eastern District of Kentucky	2,808	3,075	2,747	2,620	2,957	3,004	3,079	2,847	3,137	3,571	3,490	3,031	3,320	3,315	3,276	2,894	3,202	3,933	5,119	6,438
Western District of Kentucky	3,681	3,788	3,512	3,477	3,762	3,796	3,772	3,605	3,978	4,280	4,330	3,746	3,736	3,946	3,839	3,450	3,929	4,385	5,849	7,005
Eastern District of Louisiana	2,474	2,882	2,471	2,240	2,268	2,365	2,529	2,422	2,307	2,690	2,604	2,410	2,323	2,652	2,474	2,267	2,456	3,133	2,389	3,691
Middle District of Louisiana	725	853	916	816	822	971	1,001	830	939	1,032	1,094	952	1,064	1,089	1,093	973	1,014	1,218	1,292	1,861
Western District of Louisiana	3,055	3,411	3,380	3,080	3,119	3,329	3,585	3,218	3,405	3,934	4,147	3,535	3,634	4,098	4,070	3,471	3,912	4,344	4,970	5,746
District of Maine	983	1,317	1,000	1,097	1,019	1,112	1,126	1,052	1,057	1,266	1,118	1,114	1,081	1,184	1,114	991	1,033	1,466	1,850	2,121
District of Maryland	9,043	9,548	7,992	8,047	8,979	8,839	8,462	8,420	9,066	8,940	7,941	7,764	7,971	7,914	6,361	6,805	7,399	7,436	8,190	11,590
District of Massachusetts	4,638	4,885	3,985	3,721	4,155	4,581	4,176	4,103	4,349	4,958	4,357	4,195	4,393	4,844	4,269	4,585	4,484	5,928	6,572	9,311
Eastern District of Michigan	8,267	8,171	7,735	8,208	9,673	9,555	9,632	10,620	11,669	11,731	10,771	11,178	12,070	11,647	11,612	11,251	13,131	13,926	17,002	21,185
Western District of Michigan	3,648	3,544	3,186	3,376	3,783	3,920	3,611	4,004	4,438	4,333	3,970	3,963	4,395	4,339	4,020	4,183	4,605	5,011	5,787	7,739
District of Minnesota	4,258	4,326	4,110	4,135	4,391	4,658	4,665	4,044	5,187	5,158	4,709	4,525	4,171	4,260	4,123	4,044	4,502	5,289	7,210	7,661
Northern District of Mississippi	1,946	1,923	1,952	1,924	2,057	1,941	2,035	2,004	2,102	2,155	2,063	1,944	2,027	2,012	2,329	1,989	2,292	2,283	2,422	2,812
Southern District of Mississippi	3,619	3,511	3,539	3,413	3,538	3,324	3,569	3,617	3,764	3,419	3,431	3,087	3,232	3,191	3,338	2,882	3,072	3,450	3,269	3,877
Eastern District of Missouri	4,107	4,250	4,007	4,208	4,228	4,252	4,634	4,969	4,888	5,170	5,084	4,906	4,998	5,035	4,745	4,599	4,874	5,904	7,210	8,628
Western District of Missouri	3,031	3,730	3,522	3,343	3,429	4,073	4,198	4,113	4,201	4,707	4,464	4,031	4,300	4,789	4,492	4,289	4,549	5,354	6,814	8,690
District of Montana	957	1,113	892	890	926	1,206	958	848	1,046	1,295	1,049	897	1,072	1,318	967	849	1,067	1,414	1,482	1,807
District of Nebraska	1,764	1,926	1,676	1,692	1,790	1,994	1,835	1,949	2,191	2,078	2,094	2,023	2,217	2,278	2,197	2,093	2,358	2,732	3,061	3,664
District of Nevada	3,948	5,042	4,511	4,178	4,303	5,240	4,923	4,803	4,715	5,748	5,064	4,721	4,383	4,985	4,032	3,255	3,509	5,172	5,972	8,797
District of New Hampshire	947	1,090	769	793	952	978	949	946	1,031	1,200	1,021	996	1,152	1,163	1,100	1,077	1,159	1,243	1,422	1,685
District of New Jersey	10,649	11,535	9,484	9,071	10,175	10,719	9,707	9,682	10,609	11,253	10,648	8,947	11,028	10,981	9,578	8,991	10,132	11,335	11,671	15,673
District of New Mexico	2,124	2,129	1,950	1,831	2,094	2,131	2,247	2,102	2,457	2,412	2,167	1,948	2,222	2,312	2,172	2,070	1,351	2,694	3,016	3,525
Eastern District of New York	6,520	7,500	5,575	5,509	5,980	7,053	6,239	6,607	6,085	6,945	5,982	6,651	6,613	7,319	6,154	6,067	6,735	8,325	9,062	12,130
Northern District of New York	3,802	4,508	3,450	3,574	3,979	4,171	3,859	3,954	4,189	4,767	4,138	3,972	4,248	5,044	3,894	4,030	4,436	5,559	6,233	7,600
Southern District of New York	3,333	3,986	3,090	3,256	3,462	3,815	3,745	3,790	4,010	4,461	3,963	4,117	4,425	4,780	4,343	3,991	4,642	5,886	6,483	8,827
Western District of New York	2,966	3,554	2,960	3,033	2,978	3,550	3,203	3,312	3,414	4,150	3,534	3,494	3,592	4,155	3,932	3,310	3,894	5,051	5,341	7,262
Eastern District of North Carolina	3,373	3,370	3,371	3,573	3,742	3,562	3,708	3,831	3,950	4,141	3,768	3,800	3,813	3,663	3,587	3,478	3,795	3,937	4,506	4,533
Middle District of North Carolina	2,526	2,677	2,637	2,819	2,720	2,771	3,089	2,995	3,144	3,099	3,099	3,156	2,908	2,928	2,961	2,778	2,941	2,900	3,606	3,401
Western District of North Carolina	2,100	2,184	2,218	2,259	2,218	2,402	2,450	2,312	2,606	2,770	2,561	2,533	2,523	2,462	2,554	2,496	2,656	2,926	3,321	3,894
District of North Dakota	561	585	515	456	463	492	504	493	529	599	541	519	565	591	524	522	629	706	944	1,168
Northern District of Ohio	8,006	10,192	8,649	8,934	9,166	10,444	10,757	10,636	10,784	12,868	12,115	11,808	11,034	12,981	11,745	10,866	12,203	15,361	19,476	26,450
Southern District of Ohio	7,818	9,208	8,497	7,974	8,534	9,343	9,370	9,027	9,311	11,168	10,464	9,803	9,933	11,359	10,461	9,989	10,413	13,088	16,211	20,320
Eastern District of Oklahoma	1,080	1,110	1,001	989	1,003	1,176	1,253	1,227	1,191	1,355	1,278	1,236	1,175	1,286	1,321	1,040	1,211	1,534	1,630	2,614
Northern District of Oklahoma	1,348	1,420	1,316	1,308	1,456	1,539	1,697	1,672	1,620	1,953	2,035	1,823	1,863	1,818	1,947	1,702	1,803	2,297	2,744	3,743
Western District of Oklahoma	3,111	3,496	3,308	3,075	2,947	3,446	3,234	3,182	3,404	3,599	3,568	3,507	3,437	3,601	3,618	3,152	3,483	4,324	5,470	7,633
District of Oregon	4,798	6,205	5,370	5,265	5,142	6,194	5,911	5,794	5,560	6,613	6,038	5,563	5,357	6,766	5,934	5,524	5,643	7,300	8,444	10,114
Eastern District of Pennsylvania	6,195	6,309	5,795	5,394	6,274	6,222	6,194	5,876	6,592	6,915	6,028	5,911	6,112	6,261	5,959	5,438	6,115	6,628	7,007	9,045
Middle District of Pennsylvania	2,975	3,273	2,606	2,589	2,900	3,202	3,193	2,916	3,424	3,607	3,428	3,266	3,488	3,712	3,505	3,167	3,570	4,374	4,861	6,123
Western District of Pennsylvania	3,940	4,215	3,607	3,510	4,216	4,190	4,230	4,112	4,641	5,002	4,767	4,637	3,592	5,283	5,253	4,926	5,626	6,529	7,623	10,086
District of Rhode Island	1,286	1,374	1,077	1,082	1,212	1,298	1,178	1,162	1,160	1,254	1,093	1,002	1,056	1,079	998	917	1,062	1,388	1,399	1,855
District of South Carolina	3,376	3,394	3,417	3,816	4,028	3,708	3,796	4,041	3,899	4,039	4,214	3,908	3,751	3,885	3,904	3,739	3,730	3,686	3,893	4,042
District of South Dakota	572	693	635	640	604	650	646	639	649	744	712	632	754	725	654	581	693	838	1,259	1,184
Eastern District of Tennessee	4,801	4,691	4,674	4,728	4,815	4,706	4,898	4,828	5,211	5,153	5,040	4,845	5,055	4,856	4,907	4,470	5,043	5,081	5,951	6,211
Middle District of Tennessee	3,698	3,624	3,379	3,656	3,901	3,629	3,895	3,800	4,362	4,205	3,910	3,810	4,014	3,926	4,132	3,379	3,877	3,943	4,436	3,806
Western District of Tennessee	6,129	6,476	6,679	6,916	6,947	6,651	7,238	7,162	7,044	7,373	7,256	6,525	6,489	6,653	6,697	5,991	6,324	6,450	7,593	6,639
Eastern District of Texas	2,558	2,726	2,778	3,014	2,722	2,907	3,241	2,963	3,233	3,306	3,116	3,284	3,228	3,099	3,231	3,057	3,224	3,717	4,482	5,115
Northern District of Texas	6,278	6,440	6,313	7,008	6,422	6,428	7,200	6,876	7,712	7,421	7,518	7,592	7,945	7,785	7,976	7,612	7,897	8,747	10,434	12,535
Southern District of Texas	4,674	4,919	4,662	4,918	4,488	4,986	5,592	5,384	6,547	6,321	6,122	6,212	6,397	6,367	6,949	6,696	6,785	7,898	8,663	12,258
Western District of Texas	4,490	4,401	4,223	4,443	4,324	4,295	4,760	4,470	5,232	5,036	5,017	5,006	5,179	5,088	5,220	4,820	4,893	5,813	6,859	8,275
District of Utah	4,399	4,856	4,891	4,788	5,083	5,389	5,592	5,462	5,458	5,734	5,294	5,079	5,060	5,414	5,280	4,611	4,808	5,391	5,335	5,894
District of Vermont	422	483	389	357	419	441	455	420	452	498	465	410	441	443	391	337	425	528	595	996
Eastern District of Virginia	7,515	7,352	6,813	7,265	7,286	7,825	7,369	7,212	8,046	7,990	7,200	6,886	7,660	7,347	6,693	6,304	6,772	6,950	7,725	9,747
Western District of Virginia	3,030	3,329	2,779	2,741	3,116	3,112	2,973	2,964	3,138	3,402	2,933	2,915	3,261	2,960	2,754	2,751	2,970	3,068	3,626	3,768
Eastern District of Washington	2,642	2,631	2,280	2,264	2,550	2,460	2,489	2,461	2,725	2,729						2,076	2,569	2,627	2,828	3,273
Western District of Washington																6,354	7,004	7,516	8,853	11,474
Northern District of West Virginia																1,075	1,359	1,441	1,791	2,111
Southern District of West Virginia																1,586	1,868	2,201	2,926	3,776
Eastern District of Wisconsin																3,935	4,496	6,437	6,907	7,388
Western District of Wisconsin																2,010	2,207	2,702	3,211	4,069
District of Wyoming																532	557	769	808	1,049
District of Puerto Rico																3,007	2,758	3,088	3,582	3,258
District of Virgin Islands																8	13	10	10	24
District of Guam																68	81	89	82	123
District of Northern Mariana Islands																12	3	7	10	11
United States																363,890	393,086	458,597	532,526	654,615

Read more about Quarterly Non-business Filings by District (2001-2005)

Annual Business and Non-business Filings by District (1995-1999)

ABI World

	1995				1996				1997				1998				1999
District	Total Filings	Business Filings	Non-Business Filings	Percent Consumer	Total Filings	Business Filings	Non-Business Filings	Percent Consumer	Total Filings	Business Filings	Non-Business Filings	Percent Consumer	Total Filings	Business Filings	Non-Business Filings	Percent Consumer	Total Filings	Business Filings	Non-Business Filings	Percent Consumer
District of Alaska	946	159	787	83.19%	1226	183	1043	85.07%	1373	147	1,226	89.29%	1,479	127	1,352	91.41%	1,492	115	1377	92.29%
Middle District of Alabama	5265	208	5057	96.05%	6072	221	5851	96.36%	6,670	284	6,386	95.74%	6,753	159	6,594	97.65%	6,500	146	6354	97.75%
Northern District of Alabama	17701	452	17249	97.45%	20631	405	20226	98.04%	22,732	442	22,290	98.06%	20,912	380	20,532	98.18%	19,385	254	19,131	98.68%
Southern District of Alabama	3702	42	3660	98.87%	4969	146	4823	97.06%	4,774	150	4,624	96.86%	4,803	64	4,739	98.67%	4,679	34	4,645	99.27%
Eastern District of Arkansas	6082	241	5841	96.04%	8661	269	8392	96.89%	9,942	283	9,659	97.15%	10,789	215	10,574	98.01%	10,252	148	10,104	98.55%
Western District of Arkansas	3296	181	3115	94.51%	4533	217	4316	95.21%	5,701	256	5,445	95.51%	6,263	193	6,070	96.92%	6,218	147	6,134	98.64%
District of Arizona	16012	1045	14967	93.47%	20284	861	19403	95.66%	25,069	846	24,223	96.63%	24,191	762	23,429	96.85%	22,609	781	21,828	96.54%
Central District of California	82314	6883	75431	91.64%	102645	6544	96101	93.62%	118,335	6,184	112,151	94.77%	120,981	4,787	116,194	96.04%	102,422	2,387	100,035	97.66%
Eastern District of California	24119	2450	21669	89.84%	31211	2538	28673	91.87%	36,976	2,624	34,352	92.90%	39,345	2,012	37,333	94.89%	34,750	1,144	33,606	96.70%
Northern District of California	26096	2445	23651	90.63%	31798	2403	29395	92.44%	34,781	2,116	32,515	95.40%	34,082	1,567	32,665	93.92%	26,564	1,308	25,256	95.07%
Southern District of California	14473	319	14154	97.80%	17976	262	17714	98.54%	19,407	213	19,194	98.40%	18,805	180	18,625	99.04%	15,292	175	15,117	98.85%
District of Colorado	13705	610	13095	95.55%	16403	778	15624	95.25%	19,146	518	18,628	97.29%	18,262	402	17,860	97.80%	1,6165	347	15818	97.85%
District of Connecticut	9147	205	8942	97.76%	11307	230	11077	97.97%	13,499	205	13,294	98.48%	13,962	164	13,798	98.83%	11868	142	11726	98.80%
District of Columbia	1502	100	1402	93.34%	1950	119	1831	93.90%	2,530	100	2,430	96.05%	2,885	88	2,797	96.95%	2718	81	2637	97.01%
District of Delaware	1679	277	1402	83.50%	2044	239	1805	88.31%	2,646	214	2,432	91.91%	2,871	372	2,499	87.04%	4,526	21,115	2,411	53.26%
Middle District of Florida	27332	1192	26140	95.64%	35109	1183	33926	96.63%	42,388	1,217	41,171	97.13%	45,472	1,090	44,382	97.60%	41,855	1,008	40,847	97.59%
Northern District of Florida	2583	94	2489	96.36%	3688	97	3591	97.37%	4,787	442	22,290	98.06%	5,344	91	5,253	98.30%	5,002	74	4,928	98.52%
Southern District of Florida	15984	757	15227	95.26%	20557	746	19811	96.37%	26,308	816	25,492	96.90%	29,373	686	28,687	97.66%	28,500	641	27,859	97.75%
Middle District of Georgia	10539	117	10422	98.89%	13350	160	13190	98.80%	15,136	202	14,934	98.67%	14,921	161	14,760	98.92%	14,161	160	14,001	98.87%
Northern District of Georgia	27035	1199	25836	95.57%	31109	1188	29921	96.18%	34,946	1,130	33,816	98.03%	33,763	834	32,929	97.53%	31,871	650	31,221	97.96%
Southern District of Georgia	8489	379	8110	95.54%	10880	453	10427	95.84%	12,707	310	12,397	97.56%	12,441	202	12,239	98.38%	11,741	123	11,618	98.95%
District of Hawaii	2036	159	1877	92.19%	3092	187	2905	93.95%	4,463	187	4,276	95.81%	5,829	114	5,715	98.04%	5426	87	5339	98.39%
Northern District of Iowa	2593	262	2331	89.90%	3430	239	3191	93.03%	3,996	235	3,761	94.12%	3,880	180	3,700	95.36%	3,444	115	3,329	96.66%
Southern District of Iowa	4001	294	3707	92.65%	5285	335	4950	93.66%	5,847	270	5,577	95.38%	5,638	103	5,535	98.17%	5,008	81	33,606	96.70%
District of Idaho	4121	391	3730	90.51%	5426	460	4966	91.52%	6,973	532	6,441	92.37%	7,612	435	7,177	94.29%	7,285	340	6945	95.33%
Central District of Illinois	7477	382	7095	94.89%	9987	406	9581	95.93%	12,854	295	12,559	97.70%	12,685	114	12,571	99.10%	11,765	167	11,598	98.58%
Northern District of Illinois	30941	859	30082	97.22%	38618	871	37747	97.74%	44,087	854	43,233	98.06%	46,503	646	45,857	98.61%	44,790	553	44,237	98.769%
Southern District of Illinois	4353	383	3970	91.20%	5893	529	5364	91.02%	7,013	639	6,374	90.89%	7,499	714	6,785	90.48%	7,406	1,965	6,732	90.89%
Northern District of Indiana	8738	344	8394	96.06%	10816	289	10527	97.33%	13,658	213	13,445	98.44%	14,550	190	14,360	98.69%	14,288	148	14,140	98.96%
Southern District of Indiana	14785	498	14287	96.63%	19075	467	18608	97.55%	23,150	470	22,680	97.97%	24,711	423	24,288	98.29%	23,954	353	23,601	98.52%
District of Kansas	9151	419	8732	95.42%	11312	421	10891	96.28%	13,131	412	12,719	96.86%	13,208	264	12,944	98.00%	11538	172	11366	98.50%
Eastern District of Kentucky	6285	260	6025	95.86%	8284	231	8053	97.21%	9,558	1273	9,285	97.14%	9,594	182	9,412	98.10%	8,996	143	8,853	98.41%
Western District of Kentucky	8103	213	7890	97.37%	10510	200	10310	98.10%	12,129	176	11,953	98.55%	12,592	174	12,418	98.62%	11,825	138	11,687	98.83%
Eastern District of Louisiana	5005	102	4903	97.96%	6444	98	6346	98.48%	7,365	141	7,224	98.21%	7,119	120	6,999	98.31%	7,657	131	7,526	98.28%
Middle District of Louisiana	1712	52	1660	96.96%	2574	62	2512	97.59%	2,805	52	2,753	98.15%	2,940	41	2,899	98.61%	2680	29	2,651	98.91%
Western District of Louisiana	8021	408	7613	94.91%	11419	461	10958	95.96%	12,988	481	12,507	96.30%	12,887	439	12,448	96.59%	12,293	429	11,864	96.51%
District of Massachusetts	14912	1116	13796	92.52%	17744	1041	16703	94.13%	23,894	965	22,927	95.96%	22,325	739	21,586	96.69%	18,660	566	18,034	96.95%
District of Maryland	17925	1493	16432	91.67%	24347	1469	22878	93.97%	31,991	1,678	30,313	94.75%	35,430	1,231	34,199	96.53%	32,273	795	31,478	97.53%
District of Maine	2192	274	1918	87.50%	3073	267	2806	91.31%	4,218	310	3,908	92.65%	4,515	244	4,271	94.60%	4,177	197	3,980	95.28%
Eastern District of Michigan	17290	545	16745	96.85%	21871	591	21280	97.30%	27,348	595	26,753	97.82%	28,198	373	27,825	98.68%	25,824	359	25,465	98.60%
Western District of Michigan	7338	527	6811	92.82%	9928	481	9447	95.16%	12,261	511	11,750	95.83%	12,546	348	12,198	97.23%	11,428	275	11,153	97.59%
District of Minnesota	14835	1901	12934	87.19%	18236	2251	15985	87.66%	20,225	2,478	17,747	87.75%	18,866	1,975	16,891	89.53%	15,853	1,584	14,269	90.00%
Eastern District of Missouri	9656	230	9426	97.62%	12703	290	12413	97.72%	14,897	300	14,597	97.99%	16,423	255	16,168	98.45%	15,888	203	15,685	98.72%
Western District of Missouri	7101	291	5810	81.82%	9400	373	9027	96.03%	11,218	433	10,785	96.14%	11,842	169	11,673	98.57%	11,141	155	10,986	98.60%
Northern District of Mississippi	4002	131	3871	96.73%	5426	136	5290	97.49%	6,602	153	6,449	97.68%	6,226	135	6,091	97.83%	5,917	133	5,784	97.75%
Southern District of Mississippi	7822	152	7670	98.06%	10317	145	10172	98.59%	12,667	146	12,521	98.85%	12,474	109	12,365	99.13%	11,833	68	11,765	99.42%
District of Montana	2296	171	2125	92.55%	2805	219	2586	92.19%	3,572	278	3,294	92.22%	3,717	145	3,572	96.10%	3,386	121	3,265	96.42%
Eastern District of North Carolina	6837	457	6180	90.39%	8801	446	8355	94.93%	9,788	426	9,362	95.65%	10,914	321	10,593	97.06%	10,325	263	10,062	97.45%
Middle District of North Carolina	5109	184	4925	96.40%	7459	167	7292	97.76%	9,289	212	9,077	97.72%	9,014	144	8,870	98.40%	8,543	113	8,430	95.32%
Western District of North Carolina	4188	85	4103	97.97%	5936	90	5846	98.48%	7,126	82	7,044	98.85%	7,056	69	6,987	99.02%	6,966	66	6,930	99.05%
District of North Dakota	1311	118	1193	91.00%	1688	152	1536	91.00%	1,961	155	1,806	92.10%	2,192	87	2,105	96.03%	2,146	100	2,046	95.34%
District of Nebraska	3789	212	3577	94.40%	5304	276	5028	94.80%	5,949	281	5,668	95.28%	6,116	129	5,987	97.89%	5,500	158	5,342	97.12%
District of New Hampshire	3207	92	3115	97.13%	3692	92	3600	97.51%	4,902	187	4,715	96.19%	4,994	417	4,577	91.65%	4,104	348	3,756	91.52%
District of New Jersey	27788	1195	26593	95.70%	34091	1068	33023	96.87%	42,434	1,112	41,322	97.38%	45,880	876	45,004	98.09%	40,814	877	39,937	97.85%
District of New Mexico	4334	322	4012	92.57%	5870	391	5479	93.34%	7,560	384	7,176	94.92%	7,915	338	7,577	95.73%	7,336	554	6,782	92.44%
District of Nevada	7912	390	7522	95.07%	10531	429	10102	95.93%	13,427	399	13,028	97.03%	15,708	428	15,280	97.28%	1,479	127	1,352	91.41%
Eastern District of New York	22295	727	21568	96.74%	25264	620	24644	97.55%	29,459	566	28,893	98.08%	31,494	461	31,033	98.54%	26,449	378	26,071	98.57%
Northern District of New York	9779	696	9083	92.88%	13289	839	12450	93.69%	16,173	777	15,396	95.20%	16,703	505	16,198	96.98%	14,466	394	14,072	97.27%
Southern District of New York	11519	1150	10369	90.02%	13452	950	12502	92.94%	15,972	846	15,126	94.70%	17,047	586	16,461	96.56%	14,798	565	14,233	96.18%
Western District of New York	7757	801	6956	89.67%	10173	854	9319	91.61%	13,114	964	12,150	92.65%	13,398	727	12,671	94.57%	11,360	535	10,825	95.29%
Northern District of Ohio	16508	539	15969	96.73%	21522	553	20969	97.43%	26,200	480	25,720	98.17%	28,353	649	27,704	97.71%	27,716	789	26,927	97.15%
Southern District of Ohio	17920	513	17407	97.14%	22972	512	22460	97.77%	27,570	526	27,044	98.10%	28,351	512	27,839	98.19%	26,071	406	25,665	99.86%
Eastern District of Oklahoma	1903	116	1787	93.90%	2704	139	2565	94.86%	3,462	176	3,286	94.92%	3,812	120	3,692	96.85%	3,550	104	3,446	97.07%
Northern District of Oklahoma	4132	428	3704	89.64%	5317	585	4732	89.00%	6,007	648	5,359	89.21%	5,372	459	4,913	91.46%	5,042	328	4,714	93.45%
Western District of Oklahoma	7995	400	7595	95.00%	10430	664	9766	93.63%	13,100	545	12,555	95.84%	12,756	254	12,502	98.01%	11,436	296	11,140	97.41%
District of Oregon	14098	781	13317	94.46%	16709	751	15956	95.49%	18,197	1,434	16,763	92.12%	18,103	2,660	15,443	85.31%	18,168	2,939	15,229	83.82%
Eastern District of Pennsylvania	12990	598	12394	95.41%	17020	605	16415	96.45%	21,773	561	21,212	97.42%	23,187	392	22,795	98.31%	21,752	328	21,424	98.49%
Middle District of Pennsylvania	4973	661	4312	86.71%	6833	758	6075	88.91%	9,593	852	8,741	91.12%	10,693	837	9,856	92.17%	10,212	706	9,506	93.08%
Western District of Pennsylvania	6476	513	5963	92.08%	8649	507	8142	94.14%	11,601	472	11,129	95.93%	12,772	456	12,316	96.43%	11,950	363	11,587	96.96%
District of Rhode Island	3335	162	3173	95.14%	4328	181	4147	95.82%	5,472	180	5,292	96.71%	5,480	130	5,350	97.63%	5060	116	4944	97.70%
District of South Carolina	7457	337	7120	95.48%	9778	259	9519	97.35%	11,232	346	10,886	96.92%	11,672	254	11,373	97.82%	11,442	191	11,251	98.33%
District of South Dakota	1451	172	1279	88.15%	1912	216	1896	99.16%	2,366	221	2,145	90.66%	2,299	186	2,113	91.91%	2,223	152	2,071	93.16%
Eastern District of Tennessee	11199	343	10856	96.94%	14798	384	14414	97.41%	16,254	422	15,832	97.40%	15,984	336	15,648	97.90%	14,944	236	14,708	98.42%
Middle District of Tennessee	9565	370	9195	96.13%	11869	478	11391	95.97%	12,478	457	12,021	96.34%	12,131	292	11,839	97.59%	10,968	251	10,717	97.71%
Western District of Tennessee	17965	236	17729	98.69%	22081	223	21858	98.99%	24,052	187	23,865	99.22%	23,081	241	22,840	98.96%	20,613	315	20,298	98.47%
Eastern District of Texas	6091	522	5569	91.43%	8392	565	7827	93.27%	9,734	522	9,212	94.64%	9,817	360	9,457	96.33%	9,272	303	8,969	96.73%
Northern District of Texas	16454	1644	14810	90.01%	20677	1620	19057	92.17%	25,373	1,546	23,827	93.91%	24,934	1,191	23,743	95.22%	21,447	921	20,526	95.70%
Southern District of Texas	14044	672	13372	95.22%	17409	695	16733	96.12%	19,508	754	18,754	96.13%	19,352	657	18,695	96.61%	17,506	614	16,892	96.49%
Western District of Texas	11710	572	11138	95.12%	15037	607	14430	95.96%	18,114	644	17,470	96.44%	17,696	488	17,208	97.24%	16,488	464	16,024	97.18%
District of Utah	7325	242	7083	96.70%	9299	294	9005	96.84%	12,147	434	11,713	96.43%	13,996	460	13,536	96.71%	14,108	464	13,644	96.71%
Eastern District of Virginia	21120	792	20328	96.25%	26306	785	25521	97.02%	31,921	767	31,154	97.60%	32,398	545	31,853	98.32%	28,262	369	27,893	98.69%
Western District of Virginia	7155	469	6686	93.45%	9649	557	9092	94.23%	11,198	589	10,609	94.74%	11,041	593	10,448	94.63%	10,182	472	9,710	95.36%
District of Vermont	1056	167	889	84.19%	1368	142	1225	89.55%	1,911	164	1,747	91.42%	1,965	88	1,877	95.52%	1,757	83	1,674	95.27%
Eastern District of Washington	4239	405	3834	90.45%	5752	507	5245	91.19%	7,052	448	6,604	93.65%	7,838	442	7,396	94.36%	7,823	297	7,526	96.20%
Western District of Washington	16905	930	15975	94.50%	22878	912	21966	96.01%	26,285	926	25,359	96.48%	25,565	554	25,011	97.83%	23,818	335	23,483	98.59%
Eastern District of Wisconsin	8384	372	8012	95.56%	10717	388	10329	96.38%	12,940	348	12,592	97.31%	12,962	267	12,695	97.94%	12,615	213	12,402	98.31%
Western District of Wisconsin	4311	695	3616	83.88%	5420	762	4658	85.94%	6,257	865	5,392	86.18%	6,452	870	5,582	86.52%	5,874	606	5,268	89.68%
Northern District of West Virginia	1597	146	1451	90.86%	2381	158	2223	93.36%	3,475	179	3,296	94.85%	3,550	179	3,371	94.96%	3,339	115	3,224	96.55%
Southern District of West Virginia	2605	168	2437	93.55%	3632	167	3465	95.40%	5,067	188	4,879	96.29%	5,141	150	4,991	97.08%	4,812	138	4,674	97.13%
District of Wyoming	1236	109	1127	91.18%	1783	103	1680	94.22%	2,031	91	1,940	95.52%	2,257	89	2,168	96.06%	2009	69	1940	96.56%
District of Guam	48	12	36	75.00%	77	15	62	80.52%	114	21	93	81.58%	109	25	84	77.06%	131	21	110	83.96%
District of the Northern Mariana Islands	16	10	6	37.50%	12	8	4	33.33%	2	1	1	50%	18	8	10	55.56%	12	6	6	50.00%
District of Puerto Rico	7964	206	7758	97.41%	10808	284	10524	97.37%	15,670	162	15,508	98.97%	17,447	126	17,321	99.28%	17,909	206	17,703	98.84%
District of the Virgin Islands	57	18	39	68.42%	68	28	40	58.82%	74	17	57	77.03%	73	11	62	84.93%	66	12	54	81.81%
United States	926601	51959	874642	94.39%	1178555	53549	1125006	95.46%	1,404,145	54,027	1,350,118	96.15%	1,442,549	44,367	1,398,182	96.92%	1,319,465	37,884	1,281,581	97.12%

Read more about Annual Business and Non-business Filings by District (1995-1999)

Collier Bankruptcy Case Update April-30-01

West's Bankruptcy Newsletter
A Weekly Update of Bankruptcy and Debtor/Creditor Matters

Collier Bankruptcy Case Update

The following case summaries appear in the Collier Bankruptcy Case Update, which is published by Matthew Bender & Company Inc., one of the LEXIS Publishing Companies.

April 30, 2001

CASES IN THIS ISSUE
(scroll down to read the full summary)

1st Cir.
§ 106(b) Waiver of sovereign immunity was unconstitutional.
Arecibo Cmty. Health Care, Inc. v. Puerto Rico (D.P.R.) 051002

§ 327(a) Photographer and wetlands experts were not professionals.
In re Ponce Marine Farm, Inc. (Bankr. D.P.R.) 051005

§ 523(a)(2)(A) Creditor was entitled to summary judgment.
Stoehr v. Al Saud (D. Mass.) 051018

2d Cir.

§ 101(5) Vendor’s claim arose when the purchase orders were entered into rather than when contract was breached.
Pearl-Phil GMT (Far East) Ltd v. The Caldor Corporation (S.D.N.Y.) 051001

§ 362(h) State court’s ignorance rendered stay violation not willful.
Salem v. Praoli (S.D.N.Y.) 051010

§ 525(a) Section 525(a) does not require government landlords to reinstate leases in default or authorize courts to allow tenants greater rights after default.
In re Stoltz (Bankr. D. Vt.) 051021

Rule 8002(a) District court lacked jurisdiction over untimely appeal.
Johnson v. 1187 Tenants Group (Bankr. S.D.N.Y.) 051041

3d Cir.

§ 364(d) Nunc pro tunc financing was denied.
In re Lehigh Valley Prof’l Sports Clubs, Inc. (Bankr. E.D. Pa.) 051012

§ 541(a) District court erred in deciding that chapter 11 debtor’s interest in grant relationship with HUD constituted property of bankruptcy estate.
Westmoreland Human Opportunities, Inc. v. Walsh (3d Cir.) 051022

Rule 5011(c) Motion for stay was granted.
Miller v. Vigilant Ins. Co. (In re Eagle Enters.) (Bankr. E.D. Pa.) 051037

4th Cir.

§ 362(c) Revesting of property in the debtor did not terminate the automatic stay.
In re Concrete Structures, Inc. (E.D. Va.) 051009

§ 507(a)(8) Priority claim was allowed.
In re Fiels (Bankr. D. Md.) 051016

§ 541(a)(1) IRA was property of the estate.
Phillips v. Bottoms (E.D. Va.) 051023

Rule 9019 Bankruptcy court did not err in adhering to its order approving settlement despite dicta from an appellate court.
In re Mountain Laurel Resources Company (S.D. W. VA.) 051042

5th Cir.

§ 362(b) Relief from stay to litigate tort liability granted despite paucity of evidence.
In re Fowler (Bankr. E.D. Tex.) 051008

§ 523(a)(8) Deferments precluded discharge of debt.
United States v. Davis (N.D. Tex.) 051019

6th Cir.

§ 1307(c) De facto modification was not cause for dismissal.
In re Wallace (Bankr. E.D. Tenn.) 051028

28 U.S.C. § 158(d) Absent certification, Court of Appeals lacked jurisdiction over appeal from district court decision that remanded matter to bankruptcy court for further proceedings.
IRS v. Hildegrand (In re Brown) (6th Cir.) 051032

8th Cir.

§ 506(a) Wholly undersecured claim was stripped off.
Black v. Conseco Fin. Serv. Corp. (In re Black) (Bankr. E.D. Ark.) 051015

9th Cir.

§ 362(a)(4) State administrative determination regarding the automataic stay was subject to review.
In re Dunbar (9^th Cir.) 051007

§ 523(a)(15) Attorney lacked standing to sue.
Ashton v. Dollaga (In re Dollaga) (B.A.P. 9th Cir.) 051020

28 U.S.C. § 157(b) Court had jurisdiction over dispute.
In re Storm Tech. (Bankr. N.D. Cal.) 051031

11th Cir.

Rule 7056 Summary judgment was affirmed on appeal.
Gray v. Manklow (In re Optical Techs.) (M.D. Fla.) 051040

Collier Bankruptcy Case Summaries

1st Cir.

Waiver of sovereign immunity was unconstitutional. D.P.R. The commonwealth (Puerto Rico) appealed the order of the district court reversing the bankruptcy court’s order dismissing the adversary proceeding against it. The commonwealth had filed a breach of contract suit prepetition against the chapter 7 debtor in state court and filed a proof of claim postpetition. The trustee subsequently commenced an adversary proceeding against the commonwealth asserting various claims allegedly arising out of the same contract as was the subject of the state court action and the proof of claim. The bankruptcy court dismissed the adversary complaint and ruled that the commonwealth could not be deemed to have waived its Eleventh Amendment immunity because it filed a proof of claim in the case. The district court reversed, concluding that the invalidity of section 106(a) did not carry over to section 106(b) because the waiver was premised upon an affirmative action by the commonwealth. The Court of Appeals for the First Circuit reversed the district court, holding that section 106(b) violated the Eleventh Amendment. The court applied the stringent test to the allegation that the commonwealth waived its sovereign immunity, as set forth in College Sav. Bank v. Florida Prepaid Postsecondary Educ. Expense Bd., 527 U.S. 666, 119 S.Ct. 2199 (1999), and concluded that the commonwealth did not voluntarily and unequivocally declare a waiver of immunity.Arecibo Cmty. Health Care, Inc. v. Puerto Rico, 2001 U.S. App. LEXIS 5624, – F.3d – (D.P.R. April 5, 2001) (Torruella, C.C.J.).

Collier on Bankruptcy, 15th Ed. Revised 2:106.06

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Photographer and wetlands experts were not professionals. Bankr. D.P.R. Administration of consolidated chapter 11 cases included litigation of numerous lawsuits which, after years of litigation, culminated in an approved settlement in which a third party purchased secured claims. In the process of adjudicating the attorney’s fee application, the bankruptcy court, sua sponte, approved the retention and compensation of debtors’ wetland expert and a professional photographer. The United States trustee asserted that the bankruptcy court did not have the authority to issue that order absent an application for compensation and that the court applied the wrong standard in approving the employment. The district court affirmed, holding that since neither the wetlands expert nor the photographer were professional persons within the meaning of the Code, any error in permitting payment for their services was harmless. The expert and photographer were not professionals under section 327 because they were not retained to carry out duties central to the administration of the bankruptcy estate. Accordingly, approval for their employment and payment was not necessary. In any event, the bankruptcy court had the authority to authorize compensation and did not err in determining that had an application been filed, it would be approved nunc pro tunc. In re Ponce Marine Farm, Inc., 2001 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 3590, – B.R. – (Bankr. D.P.R. March 8, 2001) (Pieras, D.J.).

Collier on Bankruptcy, 15th Ed. Revised 3:327.02[5]

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Creditor was entitled to summary judgment. D. Mass. The chapter 7 debtor appealed the district court’s affirmance of the bankruptcy court’s allowance of the creditor’s motion for summary judgment. After the debtor obtained counterfeit certificates of origin for the creditor’s cars and sold them to third parties, the creditor received a state (Massachusetts) court judgment against the debtor for unfair and deceptive acts. The bankruptcy court held that because the state court had specifically determined that the debtor committed fraud, the issue could not be relitigated and the creditor was entitled to summary judgment on his nondischargeability complaint. The Court of Appeals for the First Circuit affirmed, holding that the issue of fraud was actually litigated in the state court, was a necessary component of the court’s judgment and was the same as the issue adjudicated in the section 523(a)(2)(A) proceeding. Although fraud was not an element necessary for a determination of liability under the unfair and deceptive acts statute, the state court’s findings made clear that fraud was in fact the basis for the liability under the statute and did not suggest any different theory of liability.Stoehr v. Al Saud, 2001 U.S. App. LEXIS 5444, – F.3d – (D. Mass. April 3, 2001) (per curiam).

Collier on Bankruptcy, 15th Ed. Revised 4:523.08[1]

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2nd Cir.

Vendor’s claim arose when the purchase orders were entered into rather than when contract was breached. S.D.N.Y. A discount retailer filed a petition under chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code intending continue operating. When it could not meet its obligations, the debtor cancelled most of its orders for goods, but did not suspend relations with a particular Asian vendor. Determining that it could not longer operate, the debtor filed an emergency motion to wind-down, in which the debtor proposed that it would not pay any postpetition claims arising before a certain date, establish a bar date for those claims, and would give super-priority administrative status to postpetition claims arising during the wind-down period. The application was heard and approved on an emergency basis, without notice to the Asian vendor. A subsequent hearing was set in order for objections to be filed and heard. Due to difficulties in locating addresses, the debtor mailed notice of the hearing and objection period a mere three days before the scheduled hearing. Upon receipt of the notice, one month after the objection time expired, the Asian vendor sought and obtained a hearing seeking payment of its claim as an administrative expense. The vendor asserted that it was denied due process and that since the debtor breached the purchase order contract during the wind-down period, its claim was a wind-down claim entitled to super priority. The bankruptcy court denied the motion and, applying federal law, the district court affirmed, holding that the vendor’s claim arose when the purchase orders were executed, not when the breach occurred. A claim in bankruptcy may be contingent upon breach and need not be a presently enforceable obligation. Thus, as a contract-based bankruptcy claim vendor’s claim arose when the contract was executed.Pearl-Phil GMT (Far East) Ltd v. The Caldor Corporation, 2001 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 3664, – B.R. – (S.D.N.Y. March 30, 2001) (Casey, D.J.).

Collier on Bankruptcy, 15th Ed. Revised 2:101.05

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State court’s ignorance rendered stay violation not willful. S.D.N.Y. A pro se debtor with an extraordinary penchant for litigation prosecuted and defended lawsuits in Michigan and New York against his brother and others he believed to be his political enemies. On the eve of a hearing in the state (New York) court that could have resulted in the sale of his home, he filed a bankruptcy petition. The state court continued with the matter, however, and orally ruled in favor of the opposing party. The debtor filed an adversary proceeding against the state court judge and others, seeking injunctive relief and damages for violation of the automatic stay. The bankruptcy court dismissed the complaint and the debtor appealed. Consolidating the appeal with another matter commenced by the debtor and pending in the district court, the district court affirmed, holding that although the state court violated the automatic stay by proceeding with the hearing, the judge did not act willfully because it did not understand the import of the automatic stay provision of the Bankruptcy Code. The state court’s patent misreading of bankruptcy law tended to show that his action to disregard the stay was not willful. Moreover, once the court and other parties received official notice of the bankruptcy petition, they took active steps to halt the state court proceeding. Finally, the debtor did not demonstrate that he suffered any harm as a result of the stay violation. Accordingly, the bankruptcy court properly dismissed the complaint seeking damages for violation of the stay.Salem v. Praoli, 2001 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 3644, – F.-Supp. – (S.D.N.Y. March 7, 2001) (Conner, D.J.).

Collier on Bankruptcy, 15th Ed. Revised 3:362.11[3]

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Section 525(a) does not require government landlords to reinstate leases in default or authorize courts to allow tenants greater rights after default. Bankr. D. Vt. A housing authority, as the governmental entity that operated the public housing complex where the debtor resided, moved for relief from the automatic stay to enforce its rights and remedies under its lease with the debtor and her cotenant. The housing authority alleged that the postpetition payment defaults under the lease entitled it to relief from stay to commence eviction proceedings. The debtor argued that the conversion of her case from chapter 13 to chapter 7 transformed any postpetition, preconversion lease default debts to prepetition claims, and that any attempt to evict her would be based on dischargeable prepetition rent defaults and violate section 525(a). The bankruptcy court disagreed, and granted the housing authority’s motion for relief from the stay to allow it to pursue its nonbankruptcy law remedies with respect to the lease. The court acknowledged that the conversion of the debtor’s case to one under chapter 7 converted her postpetition rent obligation to an unsecured prepetition claim. The court held, however, that section 525(a) does not require government landlords to reinstate leases that are in default or authorize courts to allow debtors greater rights under leases after they default solely because their landlords are governmental entities. The court explained that a debtor cannot be turned away from a government subsidized rental unit simply because she files for bankruptcy protection or has previously discharged a rent debt to a governmental landlord. However, a debtor also should not be immune from eviction when she fails to pay her rent simply because her landlord happens to be a governmental unit.In re Stoltz, 2000 Bankr. LEXIS 1721, – B.R. – (Bankr. D. Vt. September 18, 2000) (Brown, B.J.).

Collier on Bankruptcy, 15th Ed. Revised 4:525.02

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District court lacked jurisdiction over untimely appeal. Bankr. S.D.N.Y. Upon the chapter 13 debtor’s failure to file her plan and schedules the bankruptcy court dismissed the chapter 13 case with prejudice. The debtor moved to reinstate the case and, at the hearing, asserted that she did not receive the order stating when her plan was due. The court denied the motion to reinstate and, nearly six months later, filed a Notice of Appeal with the district court. The district court held that it did not have jurisdiction over the untimely appeal. Even if the court accepted the debtor’s assertion that she had filed a Notice of Appeal with the bankruptcy court 26 days after of entry of the bankruptcy court order, the appeal was still untimely since that notice was also untimely. The debtor did not move for an extension of time pursuant to Rule 8002(c).Johnson v. 1187 Tenants Group, 2001 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 3662, – B.R. – (Bankr. S.D.N.Y. March 29, 2001) (Batts, D.J.).

Collier on Bankruptcy, 15th Ed. Revised 10:8002.03

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3rd Cir.

Nunc pro tunc financing was denied. Bankr. E.D. Pa. The chapter 11 debtor filed a motion for authority to obtain secured postpetition financing nunc pro tunc pursuant to section 364(d). When the finances of the debtor, which owned a membership in a baseball league and fielded a team, reached crisis proportions, the league paid the costs necessary to complete the playing season. The debtor never obtained authorization to borrow funds from the league before the third party payments were made. The creditors’ committee objected to the motion, arguing that the loan was of no benefit to the estate, failed to preserve its assets and the league was not a good faith lender. The bankruptcy court denied the motion, holding that the league’s request for retroactive secured status was not made in good faith. The court determined that the payments were not intended as loans to the debtor, but were voluntary payments made in the league’s own self interest which incidentally also benefitted the debtor.In re Lehigh Valley Prof’l Sports Clubs, Inc., 2001 Bankr. LEXIS 300, – B.R. – (Bankr. E.D. Pa. March 28, 2001) (Sigmund, B.J.).

Collier on Bankruptcy, 15th Ed. Revised 3:364.05

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District court erred in deciding that chapter 11 debtor’s interest in grant relationship with HUD constituted property of bankruptcy estate. 3d Cir. Before it encountered financial difficulties and filed its chapter 11 petition, the debtor, a nonprofit organization, was selected by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to receive grant moneys under the federal Supportive Housing Program. After the debtor filed its chapter 11 petition, one of its largest creditors (also a nonprofit organization and a member of the unsecured creditors committee) assumed the debtor’s position as the recipient of the grant funds. The chapter 11 trustee filed an adversary proceeding against the creditor and alleged that the creditor breached its fiduciary duty to committee constituents by assuming the debtor’s interest in the grant relationship without notice to the committee or the bankruptcy court. The creditor argued that the debtor’s interest in the granted relationship was not property of the debtor’s bankruptcy estate and, thus, did not trigger a fiduciary duty on the creditor’s part. The bankruptcy court held that the debtor’s interest in the grant relationship constituted part of the debtor’s bankruptcy estate and that the creditor violated its fiduciary obligations. The district court affirmed. The United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit reversed. The court held that despite section 541’s considerable breadth, the singular supervisory interest of the grantor (HUD) in ensuring the effective administration of the Supportive Housing Program, as evidenced by the pervasive, strict, and minute oversight over the grant relationship imposed by the Program’s relevant statutory and regulatory provisions, sufficed to exclude the debtor’s interest in the grant relationship from section 541’s property definition. The court remanded the case for resolution of the following issue: whether, despite the fact that the debtor’s interest in the grant relationship with HUD was not property of its bankruptcy estate, the creditor’s assumption of that interest without notice to committee members or the court violated the fiduciary duty owed by the creditor to committee constituents.Westmoreland Human Opportunities, Inc. v. Walsh, 2001 U.S. App. LEXIS 6061, – F.3d – (3d Cir. April 10, 2001) (Becker, C.J.).

Collier on Bankruptcy, 15th Ed. Revised 5:541.01

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Motion for stay was granted. Bankr. E.D. Pa. After the chapter 7 trustee filed an adversary proceeding against it, the insurance company filed a motion for stay of the complaint pending the district court’s ruling on a withdrawal motion. The insurance company alleged that the adversary proceeding was identical to a case pending in state (New York) court and should be consolidated with it. The company also argued that the trustee’s demand for a jury trial deprived the bankruptcy court of subject matter jurisdiction over the noncore claims. The bankruptcy court granted the motion for stay pending the district court’s decision, holding that the company demonstrated that it would likely prevail on the merits of the withdrawal motion.The court also noted that any potential harm to the trustee was outweighed by the attendant benefits to the parties, as well as a consideration of the public interest, judicial economy and uniformity (citing Collier on Bankruptcy, 15th Ed. Revised).Miller v. Vigilant Ins. Co. (In re Eagle Enters.), 2001 Bankr. LEXIS 305, – B.R. – (Bankr. E.D. Pa. February 9, 2001) (Raslavich, B.J.).

Collier on Bankruptcy, 15th Ed. Revised 9:5011.03

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4th Cir.

Revesting of property in the debtor did not terminate the automatic stay. E.D. Va. A contractor recorded a mechanics’ lien against real estate owned by the debtor, but, before the contractor could file an action to enforce its lien, the debtor filed its chapter 11 petition. The debtor commenced an adversary proceeding to avoid the lien as a preference and the contractor moved to dismiss on the grounds that its lien was a statutory lien and, thus, not subject to avoidance. The debtor argued that upon entry of the order of confirmation, the property vested in the debtor and was no longer property of the estate. The bankruptcy court held that a pending motion to vacate the order of confirmation precluded finality of confirmation so that the stay remained in effect. The bankruptcy court dismissed the proceeding and the district court affirmed, holding that the automatic stay was not terminated under section 362(c)(1) merely because the property was returned to the debtor. Rather, section 362(c)(1) terminates the stay with regard to property if it ceases to be property of the estate by such procedures as sale, abandonment or exemption. In contrast, property in the hands of the debtor continued to be protected by the automatic stay by virtue of section 362(a)(5) (citing Collier on Bankruptcy, 15th Ed. Revised).In re Concrete Structures, Inc., 2001 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 3675, – B.R. – (E.D. Va. March 30, 2001) (Payne, D.J.).

Collier on Bankruptcy, 15th Ed. Revised

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Priority claim was allowed. Bankr. D. Md. The chapter 13 debtors objected to the priority claim filed by the IRS contending that the income tax liabilities were too old to qualify for priority treatment because more than three years had passed since the returns were last due. The IRS defended its claim by arguing that the three-year priority period provided in section 507(a)(8)(A)(i) was tolled during the debtors’ prior chapter 13 case. The bankruptcy court allowed the claim, holding that the priority period was suspended during the pendency of the automatic stay in the debtors’ prior chapter 13 case. The court noted that although the plain language of the Code did not permit tolling of the priority period a literal application of section 507(a)(8) to a serial filing situation would produce absurd results. In re Fiels, 2001 Bankr. LEXIS 301, – B.R. – (Bankr. D. Md. March 30, 2001) (Keir, B.J.).

Collier on Bankruptcy, 15th Ed. Revised 4:507.10[2][a][i]

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IRA was property of the estate. E.D. Va. The chapter 7 trustee objected to the debtors’ claim of an exemption in an IRA. The bankruptcy court concluded that the IRA was property of the estate but that it could be claimed exempt to the extent allowed under state (Virginia) law. The trustee appealed and the debtors cross appealed asserting that since the IRA had originally been funded with exempt funds, the funds retained an exempt status even though the IRA was not ERISA qualified. The district court affirmed, holding that the non-ERISA qualified IRA was property of the estate even though it was created using exempt funds. Once the funds were withdrawn from the ERISA qualified plan, they lost that status and, thus, became property of the estate when the debtors filed the chapter 7 petition.Phillips v. Bottoms, 2000 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 20236, – B.R. – (E.D. Va. December 15, 2000) (Payne, D.J.).

Collier on Bankruptcy, 15th Ed. Revised 5:541.11[6][7]

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Bankruptcy court did not err in adhering to its order approving settlement despite dicta from an appellate court. S.D. W. VA. When the state and a municipality sought abatement and cleanup damages against numerous entities, including a chapter 11 debtor, two of the defendants filed cross claims for indemnification and fraud against the debtor. The chapter 11 trustee initiated an adversary proceeding seeking determination of rights under insurance policies. The state, municipality, trustee, insurers and all defendants except the cross claimants entered into a global settlement of the causes of action. The proposed settlement was noticed and ultimately approved over the objection of the cross claimants and their appeal was later dismissed based upon equitable mootness. However, the opinion by the Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit discussed the settlement order and, based upon a provision in the order, made reference to the potential for continued viability of the cross claimants causes of action against the estate if funds existed for distribution to general unsecured creditors. Based upon this footnote, the cross claimants filed a motion in the bankruptcy court for the trial on the cross claim to proceed. The bankruptcy court denied the motion and the district court affirmed, holding that the bankruptcy court did not err in interpreting its own order or the circuit court’s holding that the bankruptcy court had the authority to enjoin the cross claimants’ action. In contrast to the circuit court’s holding, the footnote upon which the cross claimants relied was peripheral to the issues before the court and, thus, was dicta. Secondly, the bankruptcy court was entitled to deference in interpreting its own order approving the settlement so that it did not err in determining that the all claims, including the cross claim, were in fact resolved by the compromise. In the unlikely event that there would be funds for distribution to unsecured creditors, the bankruptcy court could, at that juncture and upon proper motion, estimate the cross claimants’ claims to permit a distribution to them.In re Mountain Laurel Resources Company, 2001 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 3557, – F.Supp. – (S.D. W. VA. February 16, 2001) (Haden, C.D.J.).

Collier on Bankruptcy, 15th Ed. Revised 10:9019

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5th Cir.

Relief from stay to litigate tort liability granted despite paucity of evidence. Bankr. E.D. Tex. On the eve of trial, the defendant in a personal injury lawsuit filed a chapter 13 petition. The personal injury plaintiffs, seeking damages in excess of the insurance coverage, sought relief from stay in order to liquidate their claim. Declining to utilize a 12-factor test from the Second Circuit, the bankruptcy court held that relief from stay would be granted to liquidate the personal injury claim despite plaintiffs’ lack of evidence regarding cause. Although the plaintiffs unnecessarily focused upon the accident and injuries, cause existed because it was necessary to liquidate the claim, debtors would not bear substantial additional costs to defend the lawsuit, and the personal injury damages could not be determined by the bankruptcy court. If relief from stay were not granted, the personal injury victims were left with no remedy in any court.In re Fowler, 2001 Bankr. LEXIS 279, – B.R. – (Bankr. E.D. Tex. March 5, 2001) (Sharp, B.J.).

Collier on Bankruptcy, 15th Ed. Revised 3:362.07

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Deferments precluded discharge of debt. N.D. Tex. The United States filed a complaint alleging that the chapter 7 debtor failed to repay her nondischargeable student loan. The debtor’s first payment on her student loan debt was deferred until September 1984 and she filed her petition in August 1989. The debtor argued that because the government did not provide signed proof that she requested a deferment of the loan, the court must conclude that the loan first became due more than five years before her bankruptcy filing. The district court granted summary judgment for the United States, holding that because the debtor’s first payment on her student loan debt was deferred to a date less than five years before the filing of her petition, the loan was not discharged. The government provided sufficient evidence demonstrating that the debtor did request and was granted a deferment of payments on her debt.United States v. Davis, 2001 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 4434, – B.R. – (N.D. Tex. April 9, 2001) (Mahon, D.J.).

Collier on Bankruptcy, 15th Ed. Revised 4:523.14[3]

ABI Members, click here to get the full opinion.

6th Cir.

De facto modification was not cause for dismissal. Bankr. E.D. Tenn. The chapter 13 debtors purchased an automobile for their daughter’s use and the daughter, although not obligated on the note, made payments on the loan they obtained through their credit union. When the debtors filed their chapter 13 petition, they scheduled the claim and proposed to pay it outside the plan, specifically providing that the daughter would be responsible for the payments. The credit union agreed to this treatment and the plan was confirmed. When the car was ruined and the daughter ceased making the payments for the vehicle, the credit union sought dismissal of the chapter 13 case, asserting that a de facto modification occurred so that cause existed for dismissal. The bankruptcy court held that the failure of the daughter to make payments on the credit union’s note was not a de facto modification of the confirmed plan warranting dismissal of the chapter 13 case. Indeed, under the binding terms of the plan, the debtors were not even obligated to make payments on the note. Since the plan required the credit union to look to a third party for payment, there was no modification of the plan.In re Wallace, 2001 Bankr. LEXIS 260, – B.R. – (Bankr. E.D. Tenn. March 6, 2001) (Stair, B.J.).

Collier on Bankruptcy, 15th Ed. Revised 6:1307.04, 1307.09; 2:109.08

ABI Members, click here to get the full opinion.

Absent certification, Court of Appeals lacked jurisdiction over appeal from district court decision that remanded matter to bankruptcy court for further proceedings. 6th Cir. The IRS moved to dismiss the chapter 13 trustee’s appeal from a district court order that reversed a bankruptcy court decision that held that the IRS’s claims were untimely and should be dismissed. Specifically, the district court held that since the IRS had not received notice of entry of the order for relief until after the period for filing claims had passed, the IRS’s claim was not automatically barred by section 502(b)(9). In addition, the district court remanded the case for proceedings consistent with the Court’s ruling. The IRS argued that the trustee’s appeal had to be dismissed for lack of subject matter jurisdiction by virtue of the fact that the district court’s decision was not a final judgment and therefore not appealable under 28 U.S.C. section 158(d). The United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit agreed, and dismissed the appeal for lack of subject matter jurisdiction. The court held that a district court’s decision remanding to a bankruptcy court for further proceedings is not final if the district court has not certified the decision pursuant to Fed. R. Civ. P. 54(b). In this case, no certification was requested or issued.IRS v. Hildegrand (In re Brown), 2001 U.S. App. LEXIS 6014, – F.3d – (6th Cir. April 9, 2001) (Kennedy, C.J.).

Collier on Bankruptcy, 15th Ed. Revised 1:5.02[4]

ABI Members, click here to get the full opinion.

8th Cir.

Wholly undersecured claim was stripped off. Bankr. E.D. Ark. The creditor holding a second mortgage on the chapter 13 debtors’ residence objected to confirmation of their plan that treated its claim as a wholly unsecured claim. The debtors filed an adversary proceeding and contended that the mortgage could be modified because the creditor was not the holder of a secured claim supported by collateral with any remaining value after satisfaction of the first mortgage. The creditor argued that Nobelman v. American Sav. Bank, 508 U.S. 324, 113 S.Ct. 2106 (1993), prohibited any modification of the rights of the holder of a security interest in a debtor’s personal residence. The bankruptcy court overruled the objection to confirmation, holding that the debtors were permitted to modify the wholly undersecured claim. The court adopted the interpretation of Nobelman followed by the majority of courts(citing Collier on Bankruptcy, 15th Ed. Revised).Black v. Conseco Fin. Serv. Corp. (In re Black), 2001 Bankr. LEXIS 290, – B.R. – (Bankr. E.D. Ark. March 26, 2001) (Mixon, B.J.).

Collier on Bankruptcy, 15th Ed. Revised 4:506.03[7][c], 8:1322.06[1]

ABI Members, click here to get the full opinion.

9th Cir.

State administrative determination regarding the automataic stay was subject to review. 9^thCir. Contractor installed a driveway for homeowners. Two years later, the contractor filed a chapter 13 petition and, since the contract had long been completed, did not schedule or otherwise give notice of the chapter 13 case to the homeowners. A year after the filing of the chapter 13 petition, without knowledge of the bankruptcy filing, the homeowners filed a complaint with the state (California) contractors’ license board. Rather than appear at the hearing, the debtor sent a letter asserting that the administrative hearing was subject to the automatic stay. The administrative law judge concluded that the proceeding was to enforce a governmental unit’s regulatory power and, thus, was an exception to the stay. The debtors requested injunctive relief from the bankruptcy court that concluded that it was barred by the doctrine of collateral estoppel from redetermining the application of the automatic stay. The district court reversed and remanded. The Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit affirmed the district court, holding that the bankruptcy court was not precluded by principles of collateral estoppel from determining whether an exception to the automatic stay permitted state administrative action. Applying In re Gruntz, 202 F.3d 1074 (9th Cir. 2000)(en banc), the court concluded that determinations regarding the automatic stay were within the province of the bankruptcy court, not the administrative tribunal so that the bankruptcy court was required to decide whether the regulatory exception to the automatic stay applied. The federal courts have the final authority to determine the scope and applicability of the stay and, therefore, are not required to apply principles of res judicata, collateral estoppel, or the Rooker-Feldman doctrine in determining those issues.In re Dunbar, 2001 U.S. App. LEXIS 5535, – F.3d – (9^thCir. April 4, 2001) (Fletcher, C.J.).

Collier on Bankruptcy, 15th Ed. Revised 3:362.05.[5]

ABI Members, click here to get the full opinion.

Attorney lacked standing to sue. B.A.P. 9th Cir. The chapter 7 debtor husband’s attorney appealed a determination by the bankruptcy court that she lacked standing to sue under section 523(a)(15) for unpaid legal fees incurred prepetition. The attorney, who represented the husband in the debtors’ dissolution proceedings, alleged that because 90 percent of her services pertained to the custody of the children and support of the debtor husband her fees were nondischargeable. The B.A.P. affirmed, holding that the attorney lacked standing to bring a nondischargeability complaint under section 523(a)(15). The panel noted that the attorney did not allege that the debtor’s former spouse or children had any liability to her. Thus, the discharge of the debt would result in a benefit to the debtor that was greater than the detriment to his former spouse or children because the detriment to the latter was zero. Ashton v. Dollaga (In re Dollaga), 2001 Bankr. LEXIS 289, – B.R. – (B.A.P. 9th Cir. March 23, 2001) (Russell, B.J.).

Collier on Bankruptcy, 15th Ed. Revised 4:523.21

ABI Members, click here to get the full opinion.

Court had jurisdiction over dispute. Bankr. N.D. Cal. The claimant filed a limited objection to the chapter 7 trustee’s sale of the estate’s patents free and clear of liens and interests. The claimant had sold the patents in scanner technology to the debtor prepetition and contracted for the right to the license upon default on the debtor’s payment obligation. The claimant argued that the bankruptcy court did not have jurisdiction to hear the matter since the third party purchaser paid the full price and the estate was not affected by the outcome of the dispute between the claimant and the purchaser. The bankruptcy court rejected the claimant’s argument, holding that the dispute was within the court’s core jurisdiction under 28 U.S.C. section 157(b)(2)(K).The claimant elected to exercise its rights under section 365(n), which would not have existed independent of the bankruptcy case.In re Storm Tech., 2001 Bankr. LEXIS 288, – B.R. – (Bankr. N.D. Cal. March 27, 2001) (Morgan, B.J.).

Collier on Bankruptcy, 15th Ed. Revised 1:3.02[3]

ABI Members, click here to get the full opinion.

11th Cir.

Summary judgment was affirmed on appeal. M.D. Fla. The chapter 11 debtors appealed the district court’s affirmance of summary judgment entered by the bankruptcy court in favor of former principals of the debtors. The debtors filed an adversary proceeding against the principals seeking to recover allegedly fraudulent transfers, preference payments and damages for breach of fiduciary duty. The bankruptcy court granted summary judgment to the former principals on the grounds that the undisputed facts showed that the transfers were made by nondebtor entities and the former principals were not insiders of the debtors. The district court affirmed and the debtors appealed, claiming genuine issues of material fact existed. The Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit affirmed, holding that pursuant to a de novo review, summary judgment was appropriate because there were no genuine issues of material fact in dispute. Gray v. Manklow (In re Optical Techs.), 2001 U.S. App. LEXIS 5770, – F.3d – (M.D. Fla. April 6, 2001) (Marcus, C.J.).

Collier on Bankruptcy, 15th Ed. Revised 10:7056

ABI Members, click here to get the full opinion.

Read more about Collier Bankruptcy Case Update April-30-01

Judge Rules Detroit Eligible for Chapter 9 Says Pensions Could Be Cut

December 3, 2013

NEWS AND ANALYSIS

JUDGE RULES DETROIT ELIGIBLE FOR CHAPTER 9, SAYS PENSIONS COULD BE CUT

The city of Detroit today officially became the largest municipality in U.S. history to enter chapter 9 bankruptcy after Bankruptcy Judge Steven Rhodes declared that it met the specific legal criteria required to receive protection from its creditors, the Detroit Free Press reported today. The landmark ruling ends more than four months of uncertainty over the fate of the case and sets the stage for a fierce clash over how to slash an estimated $18 billion in debt and long-term liabilities while the city attempts to recover from pervasive blight and violent crime. Judge Rhodes found that the city was and is insolvent. While he found that the city did not negotiate in good faith, he excused this pre-filing requirement because it was impractical under the circumstances. The decision clears the way for pension cuts, though Judge Rhodes emphasized that he won't agree to pension cuts unless the entire plan is fair and equitable. "Resolving this issue now will likely expedite the resolution of this bankruptcy case," he said. Unions announced an immediate appeal. Read more.

For complete coverage, see ABI's Detroit in Distress webpage: http://news.abi.org/detroit

ANALYSIS: NEW BOOM IN LEVERAGED LOANS FOR SMALLER BUSINESSES

Wall Street and private-equity firms, hedge funds and other opaque financing pools have grown frustrated by low returns on other forms of debt and have turned instead to riskier but more lucrative bets on ever-smaller companies, the New York Times reported on Thursday. "Weaker credit is traveling down to smaller companies that ordinarily would not have this kind of leverage," said Barbara M. Goodstein, a banking and finance lawyer at Mayer Brown in New York. Leveraged loans became popular before the 2008 collapse but nearly disappeared afterward, regarded as a symbol of unbridled lending. But they started to return in 2010 and are now back in force, with volumes of $548.4 billion this year through Nov. 14, already exceeding the precrisis level of $535.2 billion in 2007. Read more.

VOLCKER RULE SET FOR DEC. 10 APPROVAL BY REGULATORS

At least three U.S. regulators will meet on Dec. 10 to adopt the final version of the Volcker rule, which bans banks from making speculative bets with their own money, Bloomberg News reported yesterday. The Federal Reserve, Office of the Comptroller of the Currency and Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. are scheduling meetings to act on the rule on that date. Two other agencies that need to approve the rule -- the Commodity Futures Trading Commission and the Securities and Exchange Commission -- are trying to arrange Dec. 10 votes as well. The agencies are not required to approve the rule at the same time. "If one or more of the other regulators have set December 10, I would expect us to act on or about that date as part of that coordination," SEC Chairman Mary Jo White said. The agencies' approval would be the final stage in the process of adopting the Volcker rule, a centerpiece of the 2010 Dodd-Frank Act designed to prevent a repeat of the 2008 global credit crisis. The final version is also expected to extend the rule's compliance dates, a move that was sought by Wall Street banks and trade groups. Read more.

ANALYSIS: PUERTO RICO, WITH AT LEAST $70 BILLION IN DEBT, CONFRONTS A RISING ECONOMIC MISERY

The economy in Puerto Rico has been in recession for nearly eight years, crimping tax revenue and pushing the jobless rate to nearly 15 percent, the Washington Post reported on Saturday. Meanwhile, the government is burdened by staggering debt, spawning comparisons to bankrupt Detroit and forcing lawmakers to severely slash pensions, cut government jobs and raise taxes in a furious effort to avert default. The implications are serious for Americans outside of Puerto Rico, both because a taxpayer bailout would be expensive and a default would be far more disruptive than Detroit's record bankruptcy filing in July. Officials in San Juan and Washington, D.C., are adamant that a federal bailout is not on the table, but the situation is being closely monitored by the White House, which recently named an advisory team to help Puerto Rican officials navigate the crisis. The island's problems have ignited an exodus not seen here since the 1950s, when 500,000 people left for jobs on the mainland. Now Puerto Ricans, who are U.S. citizens, are again leaving in droves. Read more.

ABI'S INTERACTIVE CODE AND RULES SITE UPDATED WITH DEC. 1 AMENDMENTS

ABI's Interactive Code and Rules site (http://law.abi.org) has been updated with several changes to the federal court miscellaneous fee schedules that relate to bankruptcy courts and that became effective on Dec. 1. The changes, which were approved by the U.S. Judicial Conference, include:

- A new $176 fee for the filing of motions for the sale of property free and clear of liens under § 363(f).

- An increase in the records-retrieval fee from $53 to $64 for the first box requested from the Federal Records Center, and a new fee of $39 for each additional box requested.

For the most up-to-date version of the Bankruptcy Code and Rules, be sure to visit ABI's Code and Rules website.

NOW AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER: BEST OF ABI 2013: THE YEAR IN CONSUMER BANKRUPTCY

Now available for pre-order in the ABI Bookstore is Best of ABI 2013: The Year in Consumer Bankruptcy. This must-have reference contains the best ABI Journal articles and papers from ABI's top-rated educational seminars selected by ABI Board Member Alane Becket of Becket & Lee LLP (Malvern, Pa.) to cover the most important developments in consumer bankruptcy for 2013. The book delves into such timely topics as the foreclosure crisis, tax issues, the latest on chapter 13, student loans and much more, and it also features relevant case summaries drawn from ABI's Volo site (volo.abi.org). Make sure to log into www.abi.org to get your discounted ABI member pricing. The book will ship in mid-December. Click here to order.

ABI GOLF TOUR UNDERWAY; LAST STOP FOR 2013 IS THIS WEEK'S WINTER LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE!

The 7th and final stop for the 2013 ABI Golf Tour is on Dec. 5 at the Trump National Golf Club, held in conjunction with ABI’s Winter Leadership Conference. Final scoring to win the Great American Cup — sponsored by Great American Group — is based on your top three scores from the seven ABI events. See the Tour page for details and course descriptions. The ABI Golf Tour combines networking with fun competition, as golfers "play their own ball." Including your handicap means everyone has an equal chance to compete for the glory of being crowned ABI's top golfer of 2013! A 22-handicapper won the tour event at July’s Southeast Bankruptcy Workshop. There's no charge to register or participate in the Tour.

NEXT WEEK'S ABILIVE WEBINAR LOOKS AT HOW TO HIRE THE RIGHT FINANCIAL ADVISORS

ABI's Financial Advisors & Investment Banking Committee is proud to present the next abiLIVE webinar, "How to Hire the Right Financial Advisors," on Dec. 11 from 1-2:15 p.m. ET. The program will provide attendees with an overview and basic understanding of the different types of financial advisors that may be relevant for in- and out-of-court cases. Topics include:

- The different types of financial advisors available;
- The benefits and limitations for each category of advisor; and
- How to select the right advisor for the job.

Speakers on the webinar include:

-Daniel F. Dooley of MorrisAnderson (Chicago)

-Gregory S. Hays of Hays Financial Consulting LLC (Atlanta)

-Ivan Lehon of Ernst & Young (New York)

-Allen Soong of Deloitte CRG (Los Angeles)

-Teri Stratton of Piper Jaffray & Co. (El Segundo, Calif.)

Registration is $75 for ABI members/$175 for non-members. Have a number of colleagues that would like to participate? Take advantage of group pricing for ABI members: register 5 or more and the registration cost drops to $60 per person!

Click here for more information and to register.

ABI IN-DEPTH

RENEW YOUR ABI MEMBERSHIP BY DEC. 31 AND SAVE!

Beginning in January 2014, ABI will institute its first dues increase to the regular dues rate in six years. The $20 increase will ensure that ABI can continue to provide you with the latest and most effective tools available in insolvency information and education. You can lock in 2013 rates, and additional discounts, for up to three years by using a multi-year renewal option (save $75!). You can also save 10 percent on future dues by opting into the automated dues program. To renew your membership and save, please go to renew.abi.org.

ABI LAUNCHES SIXTH ANNUAL WRITING COMPETITION FOR LAW STUDENTS

Law school students are invited to submit a paper between now and March 4, 2014 for ABI's Sixth Annual Bankruptcy Law Student Writing Competition. ABI will extend a complimentary one-year membership to all students who participate in this year's competition. Eligible submissions should focus on current issues regarding bankruptcy jurisdiction, bankruptcy litigation, or evidence issues in bankruptcy cases or proceedings. The first-place winner, sponsored by Invotex Group, Inc., will receive a cash prize of $2,000 and publication of his or her paper in the ABI Journal. The second-place winner, sponsored by Jenner & Block LLP, will receive a cash prize of $1,250 and publication of his or her paper in an ABI committee newsletter. The third-place winner, sponsored by Thompson & Knight LLP, will receive a cash prize of $750 plus publication of his or her paper in an ABI committee newsletter. For competition participation and submission guidelines, please visit http://papers.abi.org.

NEW CASE SUMMARY ON VOLO: BEHRENS V. U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION (IN RE BEHRENS; 8TH CIR.)

Summarized by Bryan Robinson of the Law Offices of Bryan Robinson

The Eighth Circuit Bankruptcy Appellate Panel affirmed the bankruptcy court's order granting the secured creditor relief from the automatic stay to complete its foreclosure proceedings.

There are more than 1,000 appellate opinions summarized on Volo, and summaries typically appear within 24 hours of the ruling. Click here regularly to view the latest case summaries on ABI’s Volo website.

NEW ON ABI’S BANKRUPTCY BLOG EXCHANGE: APPEAL FILED IN ARCAPITA BANKRUPTCY CASE CENTERS ON CHOICE OF LAW

The Bankruptcy Blog Exchange is a free ABI service that tracks more than 80 bankruptcy-related blogs. A new blog post looks at the appeal filed concerning the choice of law used in the ground-breaking bankruptcy proceedings of Bahrain-based Arcapita Bank B.S.C.(c)

For witness testimony and a video of the hearing, please be sure to visit http://commission.abi.org.

ABI Quick Poll

A holder of an unstayed judgment, which is subject to an ongoing appeal, can qualify as a petitioning creditor under § 303(b)(1).

Click here to vote on this week's Quick Poll. Click here to view the results of previous Quick Polls.

INSOL INTERNATIONAL

INSOL International is a worldwide federation of national associations for accountants and lawyers who specialize in turnaround and insolvency. There are currently 43 member associations worldwide with more than 9,000 professionals participating as members of INSOL International. As a member association of INSOL, ABI's members receive a discounted subscription rate. See ABI's enrollment page for details.

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Join our networks to expand yours.

THIS WEEK:

COMING UP

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

2013

December
- Winter Leadership Conference
Dec. 5-7, 2013 | Rancho Palos Verdes, Calif.
-abiLIVE Webinar
Dec. 11, 2013

January
- Western Consumer Bankruptcy Conference
Jan. 20, 2014 | Las Vegas, Nev.
- Rocky Mountain Bankruptcy Conference
Jan. 23-24, 2014 | Denver, Colo.

February
- Caribbean Insolvency Symposium
Feb. 6-8, 2014 | San Juan, P.R.
- VALCON14
Feb. 26-28, 2014 | Las Vegas, Nev.

March
- Bankruptcy Battleground West
March 11, 2014 | Los Angeles, Calif.

Read more about Judge Rules Detroit Eligible for Chapter 9 Says Pensions Could Be Cut

Annual Business Filings by District (1990-2006)

ABI World

District	1990	1991	1992	1993	1994	1995	1996	1997	1998	1999	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006
District of Alaska	164	170	196	172	162	159	183	147	127	115	118	104	120	121	64	83	45
Middle District of Alabama	254	322	321	285	235	208	221	284	159	146	137	135	128	73	90	110	50
Northern District of Alabama	1033	1020	917	651	444	452	405	442	380	254	275	219	191	158	182	178	142
Southern District of Alabama	69	89	80	41	38	42	146	150	64	34	33	74	62	56	53	43	27
Eastern District of Arkansas	288	291	341	274	254	241	269	283	215	148	151	174	148	254	220	265	185
Western District of Arkansas	179	206	236	170	119	181	217	256	193	147	110	116	134	175	156	161	91
District of Arizona	2377	2194	2050	1642	965	1045	861	846	762	781	765	753	756	701	480	525	261
Central District of California	3125	7003	6314	6935	6457	6883	6544	6,184	4,787	2,387	2,232	2,553	2,413	2,041	1,613	2,001	959
Eastern District of California	1614	2026	2668	2549	2395	2450	2538	2,624	2,012	1,144	1,139	1,273	1,232	1,111	964	914	408
Northern District of California	2052	2577	2718	3006	2716	2445	2403	2,116	1,567	1,308	1,063	1,220	1,266	1,079	972	1,089	489
Southern District of California	800	689	515	453	370	319	262	213	180	175	161	192	230	270	199	232	242
District of Colorado	1088	611	1143	1118	670	610	778	518	402	347	373	467	590	552	786	1,120	435
District of Connecticut	445	380	379	310	206	205	230	205	164	142	139	156	181	187	132	156	219
District of Columbia	129	181	134	119	118	100	119	100	88	81	58	49	52	55	41	46	27
District of Delaware	114	126	243	163	120	277	239	214	372	21,115	2,320	1,374	649	505	276	218	244
Middle District of Florida	1756	1863	1700	1375	1225	1192	1183	1,217	1,090	1,008	777	1,048	852	646	542	939	521
Northern District of Florida	238	185	148	150	116	94	97	442	91	74	66	91	73	72	73	108	86
Southern District of Florida	846	983	1138	1074	877	757	746	816	686	641	604	757	878	816	568	575	384
Middle District of Georgia	229	192	177	145	102	117	160	202	161	160	113	140	165	193	124	160	138
Northern District of Georgia	1974	2417	1691	1359	1246	1199	1188	1,130	834	650	727	908	1,055	1,239	1,825	1,928	899
Southern District of Georgia	164	332	607	419	361	379	453	310	202	123	172	114	139	153	141	144	1113
District of Hawaii	74	77	163	190	157	159	187	187	114	87	63	68	53	72	47	81	25
Northern District of Iowa	618	524	408	253	217	262	239	235	180	115	163	185	207	211	234	295	115
Southern District of Iowa	283	224	252	236	266	294	335	270	103	81	51	104	147	112	126	160	93
District of Idaho	365	225	515	414	351	391	460	532	435	340	269	303	260	225	160	141	56
Central District of Illinois	214	286	516	456	388	382	406	295	114	167	134	195	188	166	188	197	139
Northern District of Illinois	1152	1480	1608	1353	1000	859	871	854	646	553	548	770	875	681	603	795	473
Southern District of Illinois	675	588	462	380	363	383	529	639	714	1,965	588	582	177	144	121	50	57
Northern District of Indiana	598	519	518	464	367	344	289	213	190	148	548	189	202	203	148	212	124
Southern District of Indiana	495	564	745	592	519	498	467	470	423	353	272	415	459	437	376	546	252
District of Kansas	560	527	600	591	372	419	421	412	264	172	169	220	238	303	268	410	158
Eastern District of Kentucky	832	665	351	227	217	260	231	1273	182	143	213	299	321	158	144	202	91
Western District of Kentucky	492	351	341	213	205	213	200	176	174	138	142	175	124	169	175	207	109
Eastern District of Louisiana	248	247	158	136	111	102	98	141	120	131	122	169	165	124	129	152	109
Middle District of Louisiana	119	77	65	52	47	52	62	52	41	29	36	33	68	30	42	47	29
Western District of Louisiana	971	765	642	555	412	408	461	481	439	429	461	514	439	345	451	519	338
District of Massachusetts	1838	2078	2420	1899	1300	1116	1041	965	739	566	393	427	380	396	315	406	283
District of Maryland	1356	1633	1642	1575	1243	1493	1469	1,678	1,231	795	677	758	873	523	417	760	333
District of Maine	316	353	398	321	296	274	267	310	244	197	162	151	101	105	138	144	85
Eastern District of Michigan	830	944	1128	767	823	545	591	595	373	359	333	401	481	390	446	648	510
Western District of Michigan	803	627	665	572	475	527	481	511	348	275	244	287	321	294	235	423	243
District of Minnesota	1771	1797	1494	2057	1962	1901	2251	2,478	1,975	1,584	566	1,887	1,729	1,379	1,374	1,721	383
Eastern District of Missouri	435	541	377	323	254	230	290	300	255	203	184	296	181	168	159	198	129
Western District of Missouri	884	675	657	464	399	291	373	433	169	155	185	209	213	210	195	240	155
Northern District of Mississippi	185	223	180	161	113	131	136	153	135	133	99	96	131	127	63	87	97
Southern District of Mississippi	103	188	301	185	105	152	145	146	109	68	104	193	178	155	107	113	90
District of Montana	223	207	240	195	162	171	219	278	145	121	141	149	120	98	1009	129	39
Eastern District of North Carolina	560	656	585	521	474	457	446	426	321	263	257	231	225	209	163	220	136
Middle District of North Carolina	460	525	415	325	222	184	167	212	144	113	115	257	247	182	236	309	155
Western District of North Carolina	260	209	179	100	86	85	90	82	69	66	73	125	104	137	87	83	112
District of North Dakota	209	191	180	164	120	118	152	155	87	100	92	115	116	105	85	95	32
District of Nebraska	425	384	350	243	190	212	276	281	129	158	115	144	152	238	207	296	182
District of New Hampshire	490	598	164	153	111	92	92	187	417	348	302	334	212	178	158	586	218
District of New Jersey	1128	1303	1561	1870	1354	1195	1068	1,112	876	877	660	730	689	734	684	765	493
District of New Mexico	348	333	476	388	287	322	391	384	338	554	513	620	693	774	727	828	95
District of Nevada	354	480	540	494	391	390	429	399	428	127	332	419	462	321	257	333	178
Eastern District of New York	632	905	1050	962	811	727	620	566	461	378	338	384	337	293	293	334	220
Northern District of New York	622	792	925	823	711	696	839	777	505	394	407	425	346	333	285	321	214
Southern District of New York	1132	1528	1682	1227	1025	1150	950	846	586	565	788	1,236	1,598	1,059	3,195	1,025	566
Western District of New York	220	805	985	892	864	801	854	964	727	535	427	387	304	302	297	432	201
Northern District of Ohio	841	815	950	759	644	539	553	480	649	789	1,001	1,218	971	878	861	1,335	540
Southern District of Ohio	937	587	912	787	728	513	512	526	512	406	470	576	567	548	571	764	417
Eastern District of Oklahoma	201	127	137	115	94	116	139	176	120	104	81	95	87	70	82	117	52
Northern District of Oklahoma	608	691	523	507	426	428	585	648	459	328		503	264	280	235	378	94
Western District of Oklahoma	807	440	436	397	354	400	664	545	254	296	351	343	256	262	342	449	90
District of Oregon	1061	1177	1105	905	844	781	751	1,434	2,660	2,939	1,453	1,389	1,606	1,591	852	1,160	301
Eastern District of Pennsylvania	663	939	1128	976	849	598	605	561	392	328	328	319	318	350	396	413	209
Middle District of Pennsylvania	526	807	746	741	578	661	758	852	837	706	745	811	461	280	298	381	192
Western District of Pennsylvania	562	427	574	555	498	513	507	472	456	363	382	411	484	563	444	562	341
District of Rhode Island	327	333	364	266	177	162	181	180	130	116	74	64	65	48	74	136	48
District of South Carolina	404	479	234	186	221	337	259	346	254	191	138	147	178	142	175	176	82
District of South Dakota	388	356	284	200	164	172	216	221	186	152	133	164	119	110	108	196	47
Eastern District of Tennessee	260	325	595	416	343	343	384	422	336	236	239	379	277	247	249	184	124
Middle District of Tennessee	887	1095	891	541	387	370	478	457	292	251	254	237	251	201	167	211	152
Western District of Tennessee	207	300	380	306	244	236	223	187	241	315	148	270	207	149	132	179	121
Eastern District of Texas	596	505	536	486	465	522	565	522	360	303	387	427	341	326	343	452	272
Northern District of Texas	2571	2200	1996	1694	1607	1644	1620	1,546	1,191	921	937	1,099	1160	1,223	1,304	1,376	828
Southern District of Texas	1290	959	1561	757	615	672	695	754	657	614	823	1,061	810	786	709	932	549
Western District of Texas	857	748	720	605	571	572	607	644	488	464	445	568	683	818	738	830	429
District of Utah	895	830	551	319	222	242	294	434	460	464	451	475	602	519	299	449	148
Eastern District of Virginia	2332	2508	1442	1322	818	792	785	767	545	369	296	311	399	406	318	313	217
Western District of Virginia	626	801	521	649	578	469	557	589	593	472	519	613	570	550	432	163	66
District of Vermont	179	208	218	154	134	167	142	164	88	83	71	97	91	78	85	78	36
Eastern District of Washington	522	574	459	348	334	405	507	448	442	297	382	332	252	260	230	280	124
Western District of Washington	1455	1610	1163	1058	767	930	912	926	554	335	335	310	446	477	435	506	277
Eastern District of Wisconsin	530	469	383	380	404	372	388	348	267	213	172	236	221	191	225	277	145
Western District of Wisconsin	836	802	778	605	591	695	762	865	870	606	513	498	635	531	517	543	630
Northern District of West Virginia	141	186	190	133	139	146	158	179	179	115	121	133	131	101	160	197	69
Southern District of West Virginia	240	251	278	171	171	168	167	188	150	138	156	189	226	189	87	85	45
District of Wyoming	136	118	139	108	102	109	103	91	89	69	47	45	47	44	65	84	40
District of Guam	7	8	11	14	13	12	15	21	25	21	31	27	23	12	6	10	8
District of the Northern Mariana Islands	1	4	2	7	3	10	8	1	8	6	6	8	3	3	1	1	3
District of Puerto Rico	729	897	754	607	493	206	284	162	126	206	209	333	351	254	286	472	206
Virgin Islands	13	22	28	27	30	18	28	17	11	12	7	12	8	3	5	7	10
United States	64853	71549	70643	62304	52374	51959	53549	54,027	44,367	37,884	35,472	40,099	38,540	35,037	34,317	39,201	19,695

Read more about Annual Business Filings by District (1990-2006)

Annual Business Filings by District (1990-2006)

ABI World

District	1990	1991	1992	1993	1994	1995	1996	1997	1998	1999	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006
District of Alaska	164	170	196	172	162	159	183	147	127	115	118	104	120	121	64	83	45
Middle District of Alabama	254	322	321	285	235	208	221	284	159	146	137	135	128	73	90	110	50
Northern District of Alabama	1033	1020	917	651	444	452	405	442	380	254	275	219	191	158	182	178	142
Southern District of Alabama	69	89	80	41	38	42	146	150	64	34	33	74	62	56	53	43	27
Eastern District of Arkansas	288	291	341	274	254	241	269	283	215	148	151	174	148	254	220	265	185
Western District of Arkansas	179	206	236	170	119	181	217	256	193	147	110	116	134	175	156	161	91
District of Arizona	2377	2194	2050	1642	965	1045	861	846	762	781	765	753	756	701	480	525	261
Central District of California	3125	7003	6314	6935	6457	6883	6544	6,184	4,787	2,387	2,232	2,553	2,413	2,041	1,613	2,001	959
Eastern District of California	1614	2026	2668	2549	2395	2450	2538	2,624	2,012	1,144	1,139	1,273	1,232	1,111	964	914	408
Northern District of California	2052	2577	2718	3006	2716	2445	2403	2,116	1,567	1,308	1,063	1,220	1,266	1,079	972	1,089	489
Southern District of California	800	689	515	453	370	319	262	213	180	175	161	192	230	270	199	232	242
District of Colorado	1088	611	1143	1118	670	610	778	518	402	347	373	467	590	552	786	1,120	435
District of Connecticut	445	380	379	310	206	205	230	205	164	142	139	156	181	187	132	156	219
District of Columbia	129	181	134	119	118	100	119	100	88	81	58	49	52	55	41	46	27
District of Delaware	114	126	243	163	120	277	239	214	372	21,115	2,320	1,374	649	505	276	218	244
Middle District of Florida	1756	1863	1700	1375	1225	1192	1183	1,217	1,090	1,008	777	1,048	852	646	542	939	521
Northern District of Florida	238	185	148	150	116	94	97	442	91	74	66	91	73	72	73	108	86
Southern District of Florida	846	983	1138	1074	877	757	746	816	686	641	604	757	878	816	568	575	384
Middle District of Georgia	229	192	177	145	102	117	160	202	161	160	113	140	165	193	124	160	138
Northern District of Georgia	1974	2417	1691	1359	1246	1199	1188	1,130	834	650	727	908	1,055	1,239	1,825	1,928	899
Southern District of Georgia	164	332	607	419	361	379	453	310	202	123	172	114	139	153	141	144	1113
District of Hawaii	74	77	163	190	157	159	187	187	114	87	63	68	53	72	47	81	25
Northern District of Iowa	618	524	408	253	217	262	239	235	180	115	163	185	207	211	234	295	115
Southern District of Iowa	283	224	252	236	266	294	335	270	103	81	51	104	147	112	126	160	93
District of Idaho	365	225	515	414	351	391	460	532	435	340	269	303	260	225	160	141	56
Central District of Illinois	214	286	516	456	388	382	406	295	114	167	134	195	188	166	188	197	139
Northern District of Illinois	1152	1480	1608	1353	1000	859	871	854	646	553	548	770	875	681	603	795	473
Southern District of Illinois	675	588	462	380	363	383	529	639	714	1,965	588	582	177	144	121	50	57
Northern District of Indiana	598	519	518	464	367	344	289	213	190	148	548	189	202	203	148	212	124
Southern District of Indiana	495	564	745	592	519	498	467	470	423	353	272	415	459	437	376	546	252
District of Kansas	560	527	600	591	372	419	421	412	264	172	169	220	238	303	268	410	158
Eastern District of Kentucky	832	665	351	227	217	260	231	1273	182	143	213	299	321	158	144	202	91
Western District of Kentucky	492	351	341	213	205	213	200	176	174	138	142	175	124	169	175	207	109
Eastern District of Louisiana	248	247	158	136	111	102	98	141	120	131	122	169	165	124	129	152	109
Middle District of Louisiana	119	77	65	52	47	52	62	52	41	29	36	33	68	30	42	47	29
Western District of Louisiana	971	765	642	555	412	408	461	481	439	429	461	514	439	345	451	519	338
District of Massachusetts	1838	2078	2420	1899	1300	1116	1041	965	739	566	393	427	380	396	315	406	283
District of Maryland	1356	1633	1642	1575	1243	1493	1469	1,678	1,231	795	677	758	873	523	417	760	333
District of Maine	316	353	398	321	296	274	267	310	244	197	162	151	101	105	138	144	85
Eastern District of Michigan	830	944	1128	767	823	545	591	595	373	359	333	401	481	390	446	648	510
Western District of Michigan	803	627	665	572	475	527	481	511	348	275	244	287	321	294	235	423	243
District of Minnesota	1771	1797	1494	2057	1962	1901	2251	2,478	1,975	1,584	566	1,887	1,729	1,379	1,374	1,721	383
Eastern District of Missouri	435	541	377	323	254	230	290	300	255	203	184	296	181	168	159	198	129
Western District of Missouri	884	675	657	464	399	291	373	433	169	155	185	209	213	210	195	240	155
Northern District of Mississippi	185	223	180	161	113	131	136	153	135	133	99	96	131	127	63	87	97
Southern District of Mississippi	103	188	301	185	105	152	145	146	109	68	104	193	178	155	107	113	90
District of Montana	223	207	240	195	162	171	219	278	145	121	141	149	120	98	1009	129	39
Eastern District of North Carolina	560	656	585	521	474	457	446	426	321	263	257	231	225	209	163	220	136
Middle District of North Carolina	460	525	415	325	222	184	167	212	144	113	115	257	247	182	236	309	155
Western District of North Carolina	260	209	179	100	86	85	90	82	69	66	73	125	104	137	87	83	112
District of North Dakota	209	191	180	164	120	118	152	155	87	100	92	115	116	105	85	95	32
District of Nebraska	425	384	350	243	190	212	276	281	129	158	115	144	152	238	207	296	182
District of New Hampshire	490	598	164	153	111	92	92	187	417	348	302	334	212	178	158	586	218
District of New Jersey	1128	1303	1561	1870	1354	1195	1068	1,112	876	877	660	730	689	734	684	765	493
District of New Mexico	348	333	476	388	287	322	391	384	338	554	513	620	693	774	727	828	95
District of Nevada	354	480	540	494	391	390	429	399	428	127	332	419	462	321	257	333	178
Eastern District of New York	632	905	1050	962	811	727	620	566	461	378	338	384	337	293	293	334	220
Northern District of New York	622	792	925	823	711	696	839	777	505	394	407	425	346	333	285	321	214
Southern District of New York	1132	1528	1682	1227	1025	1150	950	846	586	565	788	1,236	1,598	1,059	3,195	1,025	566
Western District of New York	220	805	985	892	864	801	854	964	727	535	427	387	304	302	297	432	201
Northern District of Ohio	841	815	950	759	644	539	553	480	649	789	1,001	1,218	971	878	861	1,335	540
Southern District of Ohio	937	587	912	787	728	513	512	526	512	406	470	576	567	548	571	764	417
Eastern District of Oklahoma	201	127	137	115	94	116	139	176	120	104	81	95	87	70	82	117	52
Northern District of Oklahoma	608	691	523	507	426	428	585	648	459	328		503	264	280	235	378	94
Western District of Oklahoma	807	440	436	397	354	400	664	545	254	296	351	343	256	262	342	449	90
District of Oregon	1061	1177	1105	905	844	781	751	1,434	2,660	2,939	1,453	1,389	1,606	1,591	852	1,160	301
Eastern District of Pennsylvania	663	939	1128	976	849	598	605	561	392	328	328	319	318	350	396	413	209
Middle District of Pennsylvania	526	807	746	741	578	661	758	852	837	706	745	811	461	280	298	381	192
Western District of Pennsylvania	562	427	574	555	498	513	507	472	456	363	382	411	484	563	444	562	341
District of Rhode Island	327	333	364	266	177	162	181	180	130	116	74	64	65	48	74	136	48
District of South Carolina	404	479	234	186	221	337	259	346	254	191	138	147	178	142	175	176	82
District of South Dakota	388	356	284	200	164	172	216	221	186	152	133	164	119	110	108	196	47
Eastern District of Tennessee	260	325	595	416	343	343	384	422	336	236	239	379	277	247	249	184	124
Middle District of Tennessee	887	1095	891	541	387	370	478	457	292	251	254	237	251	201	167	211	152
Western District of Tennessee	207	300	380	306	244	236	223	187	241	315	148	270	207	149	132	179	121
Eastern District of Texas	596	505	536	486	465	522	565	522	360	303	387	427	341	326	343	452	272
Northern District of Texas	2571	2200	1996	1694	1607	1644	1620	1,546	1,191	921	937	1,099	1160	1,223	1,304	1,376	828
Southern District of Texas	1290	959	1561	757	615	672	695	754	657	614	823	1,061	810	786	709	932	549
Western District of Texas	857	748	720	605	571	572	607	644	488	464	445	568	683	818	738	830	429
District of Utah	895	830	551	319	222	242	294	434	460	464	451	475	602	519	299	449	148
Eastern District of Virginia	2332	2508	1442	1322	818	792	785	767	545	369	296	311	399	406	318	313	217
Western District of Virginia	626	801	521	649	578	469	557	589	593	472	519	613	570	550	432	163	66
District of Vermont	179	208	218	154	134	167	142	164	88	83	71	97	91	78	85	78	36
Eastern District of Washington	522	574	459	348	334	405	507	448	442	297	382	332	252	260	230	280	124
Western District of Washington	1455	1610	1163	1058	767	930	912	926	554	335	335	310	446	477	435	506	277
Eastern District of Wisconsin	530	469	383	380	404	372	388	348	267	213	172	236	221	191	225	277	145
Western District of Wisconsin	836	802	778	605	591	695	762	865	870	606	513	498	635	531	517	543	630
Northern District of West Virginia	141	186	190	133	139	146	158	179	179	115	121	133	131	101	160	197	69
Southern District of West Virginia	240	251	278	171	171	168	167	188	150	138	156	189	226	189	87	85	45
District of Wyoming	136	118	139	108	102	109	103	91	89	69	47	45	47	44	65	84	40
District of Guam	7	8	11	14	13	12	15	21	25	21	31	27	23	12	6	10	8
District of the Northern Mariana Islands	1	4	2	7	3	10	8	1	8	6	6	8	3	3	1	1	3
District of Puerto Rico	729	897	754	607	493	206	284	162	126	206	209	333	351	254	286	472	206
Virgin Islands	13	22	28	27	30	18	28	17	11	12	7	12	8	3	5	7	10
United States	64853	71549	70643	62304	52374	51959	53549	54,027	44,367	37,884	35,472	40,099	38,540	35,037	34,317	39,201	19,695

Read more about Annual Business Filings by District (1990-2006)

Annual Business Filings by District (2007-08)

Annual Business Filings by District (2007-08)



ABI World

District	2007	2008
District of Alaska	70	81
Middle District of Alabama	85	150
Northern District of Alabama	170	314
Southern District of Alabama	51	72
Eastern District of Arkansas	190	262
Western District of Arkansas	207	235
District of Arizona	479	1,069
Central District of California	1,780	3,511
Eastern District of California	786	1,208
Northern District of California	634	1,117
Southern District of California	305	568
District of Colorado	645	965
District of Connecticut	264	392
District of Columbia	36	47
District of Delaware	306	1,198
Middle District of Florida	1,109	2,230
Northern District of Florida	121	239
Southern District of Florida	799	1,454
Middle District of Georgia	161	313
Northern District of Georgia	1,154	1,748
Southern District of Georgia	141	176
District of Hawaii	56	86
Northern District of Iowa	113	150
Southern District of Iowa	130	192
District of Idaho	116	215
Central District of Illinois	181	191
Northern District of Illinois	731	1,209
Southern District of Illinois	128	157
Northern District of Indiana	227	297
Southern District of Indiana	381	538
District of Kansas	223	252
Eastern District of Kentucky	168	288
Western District of Kentucky	143	233
Eastern District of Louisiana	127	180
Middle District of Louisiana	41	62
Western District of Louisiana	342	365
District of Massachusetts	333	440
District of Maryland	380	628
District of Maine	152	180
Eastern District of Michigan	790	1,166
Western District of Michigan	404	518
District of Minnesota	520	863
Eastern District of Missouri	176	334
Western District of Missouri	208	342
Northern District of Mississippi	132	179
Southern District of Mississippi	130	178
District of Montana	55	88
Eastern District of North Carolina	223	366
Middle District of North Carolina	187	306
Western District of North Carolina	187	259
District of North Dakota	59	66
District of Nebraska	208	259
District of New Hampshire	327	393
District of New Jersey	864	1,067
District of New Mexico	142	202
District of Nevada	321	505
Eastern District of New York	380	449
Northern District of New York	297	263
Southern District of New York	467	871
Western District of New York	231	266
Northern District of Ohio	689	787
Southern District of Ohio	663	800
Eastern District of Oklahoma	51	62
Northern District of Oklahoma	129	142
Western District of Oklahoma	173	256
District of Oregon	265	429
Eastern District of Pennsylvania	297	407
Middle District of Pennsylvania	211	264
Western District of Pennsylvania	509	522
District of Rhode Island	105	144
District of South Carolina	144	268
District of South Dakota	90	96
Eastern District of Tennessee	200	302
Middle District of Tennessee	180	394
Western District of Tennessee	157	192
Eastern District of Texas	383	531
Northern District of Texas	899	1,171
Southern District of Texas	668	831
Western District of Texas	530	591
District of Utah	183	419
Eastern District of Virginia	416	783
Western District of Virginia	178	190
District of Vermont	65	49
Eastern District of Washington	155	186
Western District of Washington	322	528
Eastern District of Wisconsin	219	397
Western District of Wisconsin	193	255
Northern District of West Virginia	84	93
Southern District of West Virginia	66	85
District of Wyoming	36	63
District of Guam	3	4
District of the Northern Mariana Islands	2	0
District of Puerto Rico	276	349
Virgin Islands	8	4
United States	28,322	43,546

Read more about Annual Business Filings by District (2007-08)

Annual Business and Non-business Filings by District (2001-2004)

ABI World

	2001				2002				2003				2004
District	Total Filings	Business Filings	Non-Business Filings	Percent Consumer	Total Filings	Business Filings	Non-Business Filings	Percent Consumer	Total Filings	Business Filings	Non-Business Filings	Percent Consumer	Total Filings	Business Filings	Non-Business Filings	Percent Consumer
District of Alaska	1,473	104	1,369	91.79%	1,479	120	1,359	91.89%	1,510	121	1,389	91.99%	1,508	64	1,444	95.76%
Middle District of Alabama	8,236	135	8,101	98.36%	9,842	128	9,714	98.70%	8,824	73	8,751	99.17%	8,634	90	8,544	98.96%
Northern District of Alabama	23,918	219	23,699	99.08%	24,598	191	24,407	99.22%	26,027	158	25,869	99.39%	25,930	182	25,748	99.30%
Southern District of Alabama	6,695	74	6,621	98.89%	7,419	62	7,357	99.16%	7,570	56	7,514	99.26%	7,408	53	7,355	99.28%
Eastern District of Arkansas	13,702	174	13,528	98.73%	15,107	148	14,959	99.02%	15,641	254	15,387	98.38%	15,644	220	15,424	98.59%
Western District of Arkansas	7,782	116	7,666	98.51%	8,439	134	8,305	98.41%	8,666	175	8,491	97.98%	8,619	156	8,463	98.20%
District of Arizona	25,489	753	24,736	97.05%	29,716	756	28,960	97.46%	31,811	701	31,110	97.80%	31,387	480	30,907	98.47%
Central District of California	88,195	2,553	85,642	97.11%	84,115	2,413	81,702	97.13%	75,712	2,041	73,671	97.30%	60,633	1,613	59,020	97.34%
Eastern District of California	32,259	1,273	30,986	96.05%	31,497	1,232	30,265	96.29%	31,166	1,111	30,055	96.44%	28,985	964	28,021	96.67%
Northern District of California	19,838	1,220	18,618	93.85%	21,405	1,266	20,139	94.09%	22,948	1,079	21,869	95.30%	21,819	972	20,847	95.55%
Southern District of California	13,367	192	13,175	98.56%	12,890	230	12,660	98.22%	11,833	270	11,563	97.72%	11,259	199	11,060	98.23%
District of Colorado	18,800	467	18,333	97.52%	21,359	590	20,769	97.24%	25,956	552	25,404	97.87%	28,169	786	27,383	97.20%
District of Connecticut	11,613	156	11,457	98.66%	11,751	181	11,570	98.46%	12,246	187	12,059	98.47%	11,423	132	11,291	98.84%
District of Columbia	2,559	49	2,510	98.09%	2,503	52	2,451	97.92%	2,311	55	2,256	97.62%	1,933	41	1,892	97.88%
District of Delaware	4,259	1,374	2,885	67.74%	3,789	649	3,140	82.87%	3,918	505	3,413	87.11%	3,668	276	3,392	92.48%
Middle District of Florida	49,187	1,048	48,139	97.87%	52,923	852	52,071	98.39%	55,511	646	54,865	98.84%	52,207	542	51,665	98.96%
Northern District of Florida	6,182	91	6,091	98.53%	6,598	73	6,525	98.89%	7,121	72	7,049	98.99%	6,641	73	6,568	98.90%
Southern District of Florida	31,743	757	30,986	97.62%	32,656	878	31,778	97.31%	31,792	816	30,976	97.43%	27,041	568	26,473	97.90%
Middle District of Georgia	17,132	140	16,992	99.18%	17,932	165	17,767	99.08%	18,142	193	17,949	98.94%	17,654	124	17,530	99.30%
Northern District of Georgia	38,437	908	37,529	97.64%	42,437	1,055	41,382	97.51%	46,756	1,239	45,517	97.35%	45,115	1,825	43,290	95.95%
Southern District of Georgia	14,526	114	14,412	99.22%	15,344	139	15,205	99.09%	16,307	153	16,154	99.06%	15,191	141	15,050	99.07%
District of Hawaii	5,039	68	4,971	98.65%	4,485	53	4,432	98.82%	3,795	72	3,723	98.10%	3,112	47	3,065	98.49%
Northern District of Iowa	4,377	185	4,192	95.77%	4,646	207	4,439	95.54%	4,940	211	4,729	95.73%	5,070	234	4,836	95.38%
Southern District of Iowa	6,699	104	6,595	98.45%	7,162	147	7,015	97.95%	7,642	112	7,530	98.53%	8,012	126	7,886	98.43%
District of Idaho	8,265	303	7,962	96.33%	8,913	260	8,653	97.08%	9,660	225	9,435	97.67%	9,488	160	9,328	98.31%
Central District of Illinois	14,465	195	14,270	98.65%	15,649	188	15,461	98.80%	16,367	166	16,201	98.99%	15,626	188	15,438	98.80%
Northern District of Illinois	51,348	770	50,578	98.50%	57,598	875	56,723	98.48%	59,068	681	58,387	98.85%	54,857	603	54,254	98.90%
Southern District of Illinois	8,770	582	8,188	93.36%	9,084	177	8,907	98.05%	10,076	144	9,932	98.57%	9,749	121	9,628	98.76%
Northern District of Indiana	18,890	189	18,701	99.00%	20,864	202	20,662	99.03%	21,155	203	20,952	99.04%	20,695	148	20,547	99.28%
Southern District of Indiana	29,176	415	28,761	98.58%	32,656	459	32,197	98.59%	34,640	437	34,203	98.74%	33,770	376	33,394	98.89%
District of Kansas	13,937	220	13,717	98.42%	14,969	238	14,731	98.41%	16,192	303	15,889	98.13%	16,289	268	16,021	98.33%
Eastern District of Kentucky	11,550	299	11,251	97.41%	12,208	321	11,887	97.37%	13,388	158	13,320	99.49%	12,949	144	12,805	98.89%
Western District of Kentucky	14,633	175	14,458	98.80%	15,060	124	14,936	99.18%	16,509	169	16,340	98.98%	15,169	175	14,994	98.84%
Eastern District of Louisiana	10,236	169	10,067	98.35%	9,750	165	9,585	98.31%	10,135	124	10,011	98.78%	9,845	129	9,716	98.69%
Middle District of Louisiana	3,343	33	3,310	99.01%	3,692	68	3,624	98.16%	4,047	30	4,017	99.26%	4,261	42	4,219	99.01%
Western District of Louisiana	13,440	514	12,926	96.18%	13,691	439	13,252	96.79%	15,393	345	15,048	97.76%	15,717	451	15,266	97.13%
District of Massachusetts	17,654	427	17,227	96.40%	17,399	380	17,019	97.82%	18,260	396	17,864	97.83%	18,444	315	18,129	98.29%
District of Maryland	35,388	758	34,630	97.86%	35,573	873	34,700	97.55%	34,231	523	33,708	98.47%	29,467	417	29,050	98.58%
District of Maine	4,548	151	4,397	96.68%	4,422	101	4,321	97.72%	4,660	105	4,555	97.75%	4,508	138	4,370	96.94%
Eastern District of Michigan	32,785	401	32,384	98.78%	39,968	481	39,487	98.78%	45,755	390	45,365	99.15%	47,038	446	46,592	99.05%
Western District of Michigan	14,041	287	13,754	97.96%	15,639	321	15,318	97.95%	16,999	294	16,705	98.27%	17,174	235	16,939	98.63%
District of Minnesota	18,704	1,887	16,817	89.91%	19,487	1,729	17,758	91.13%	20,987	1,379	19,608	93.43%	17,970	1,374	16,596	92.35%
Eastern District of Missouri	16,868	296	16,572	98.25%	18,264	181	18,083	99.01%	20,217	168	20,049	99.17%	19,537	159	19,378	99.19%
Western District of Missouri	13,836	209	13,627	98.49%	16,027	213	15,814	98.67%	17,613	210	17,403	98.81%	18,068	195	17,873	98.92%
Northern District of Mississippi	7,841	96	7,745	98.78%	8,169	131	8,038	98.40%	8,391	127	8,264	98.49%	8,420	63	8,357	99.25%
Southern District of Mississippi	14,275	193	14,082	98.65%	14,228	178	14,050	98.75%	13,855	155	13,700	98.88%	12,757	107	12,650	99.16%
District of Montana	4,002	149	3,853	96.28%	4,062	120	3,942	97.05%	4,385	98	4,287	97.77%	4,332	1009	4,223	97.48%
Eastern District of North Carolina	13,917	231	13,686	98.34%	15,072	225	14,847	98.51%	15,875	209	15,666	98.68%	14,707	163	14,544	98.90%
Middle District of North Carolina	10,908	257	10,651	97.64%	11,822	247	11,575	97.91%	12,681	182	12,499	98.56%	11,775	236	11,539	97.99%
Western District of North Carolina	8,887	125	8,762	98.59%	9,488	104	9,384	98.90%	10,609	137	10,472	98.71%	10,122	87	10,035	99.14%
District of North Dakota	2,232	115	2,117	94.85%	2,074	116	1,958	94.41%	2,293	105	2,188	95.42%	2,288	85	2,203	96.28%
District of Nebraska	7,202	144	7,058	98.00%	7,721	152	7,569	98.03%	8,625	238	8,387	97.24%	8,992	207	8,785	97.70%
District of New Hampshire	3,931	334	3,597	91.50%	4,034	212	3,822	94.74%	4,426	178	4,248	95.98%	4,651	158	4,493	96.60%
District of New Jersey	41,484	730	40,754	98.24%	40,999	689	40,310	98.32%	42,377	734	41,643	98.27%	41,280	684	40,596	98.34%
District of New Mexico	8,660	620	8,040	92.84%	9,274	693	8,581	92.53%	9,777	774	9,003	92.08%	9,520	727	8,793	92.36%
District of Nevada	18,102	419	17,683	97.69%	19,736	462	19,274	97.66%	20,561	321	20,240	98.44%	16,912	257	16,655	98.48%
Eastern District of New York	25,491	384	25,107	98.14%	26,218	337	25,881	98.71%	25,950	293	25,657	98.87%	26,446	293	26,153	98.89%
Northern District of New York	15,760	425	15,335	97.30%	16,310	346	15,964	97.88%	17,403	333	17,070	98.09%	17,505	285	17,220	98.37%
Southern District of New York	14,904	1,236	13,668	91.71%	16,409	1,598	14,811	90.26%	17,552	1,059	16,493	93.97%	20,739	3,195	17,544	84.59%
Western District of New York	12,905	387	12,518	97.00%	13,353	304	13,049	97.72%	14,894	302	14,592	97.97%	15,288	297	14,991	98.06%
Northern District of Ohio	37,012	1,218	35,794	96.71%	41,983	971	41,012	97.69%	48,456	878	47,578	98.19%	47,519	861	46,658	98.19%
Southern District of Ohio	34,074	576	33,498	98.31%	36,842	567	36,275	98.46%	41,315	548	40,767	98.67%	42,329	571	41,758	98.65%
Eastern District of Oklahoma	4,275	95	4,180	96.09%	4,746	87	4,659	98.17%	5,129	70	5,059	98.64%	4,905	82	4,823	98.33%
Northern District of Oklahoma	5,896	503	5,393	91.47%	6,680	264	6,416	96.05%	7,710	280	7,430	96.37%	7,572	235	7,337	96.90%
Western District of Oklahoma	13,333	343	12,990	97.43%	13,071	256	12,815	98.04%	14,363	262	14,101	98.18%	14,175	342	13,833	97.59%
District of Oregon	23,038	1,389	21,649	93.97%	24,649	1,606	23,043	93.48%	25,370	1,591	23,779	93.73%	24,455	852	23,603	96.51%
Eastern District of Pennsylvania	24,014	319	23,695	98.67%	24,887	318	24,569	98.72%	25,800	350	25,450	98.64%	24,191	396	23,795	98.36%
Middle District of Pennsylvania	12,232	811	11,421	93.37%	12,675	461	12,214	96.36%	14,003	280	13,723	98.00%	14,179	298	13,881	97.90%
Western District of Pennsylvania	15,692	411	15,281	97.38%	17,239	484	16,755	97.19%	19,620	563	19,057	97.13%	20,932	444	20,488	97.88%
District of Rhode Island	4,883	64	4,819	98.69%	4,907	65	4,842	98.68%	4,557	48	4,509	98.95%	4,142	74	4,068	98.21%
District of South Carolina	14,149	147	14,002	98.96%	15,753	178	15,575	98.87%	16,212	142	16,070	99.12%	15,455	175	15,280	98.97%
District of South Dakota	2,706	164	2,542	93.94%	2,659	119	2,540	95.52%	2,847	110	2,737	96.14%	2,821	108	2,713	96.17%
Eastern District of Tennessee	19,272	379	18,893	98.03%	19,524	277	19,247	98.58%	20,495	247	20,248	98.79%	19,537	249	19,288	98.73%
Middle District of Tennessee	14,599	237	14,362	98.38%	15,477	251	15,226	98.38%	16,498	201	16,297	98.78%	15,618	167	15,451	98.93%
Western District of Tennessee	26,469	270	26,199	98.98%	28,207	207	28,000	99.27%	28,351	149	28,202	99.47%	25,967	132	25,835	99.49%
Eastern District of Texas	11,504	427	11,077	96.29%	12,175	341	11,834	97.20%	13,264	326	12,938	97.54%	12,958	343	12,615	97.35%
Northern District of Texas	27,146	1,099	26,047	99.18%	28,084	1160	26,924	95.87%	31,469	1,223	30,246	96.11%	32,616	1,304	31,312	96.00%
Southern District of Texas	20,243	1,061	19,182	94.76%	21,269	810	20,459	96.19%	25,996	786	25,210	96.98%	27,121	709	26,412	97.39%
Western District of Texas	18,128	568	17,560	96.87%	18,522	683	17,839	96.31%	21,111	818	20,293	96.13%	21,050	738	20,312	96.49%
District of Utah	19,411	475	18,936	97.55%	22,129	602	21,527	97.28%	22,084	519	21,565	97.65%	41,585	299	41,286	99.28%
Eastern District of Virginia	29,271	311	28,960	98.94%	30,092	399	29,693	98.67%	30,528	406	30,122	98.67%	28,319	318	28,001	98.88%
Western District of Virginia	12,492	613	11,879	95.09%	12,738	570	12,168	95.53%	12,940	550	12,390	95.75%	12,157	432	11,725	96.45%
District of Vermont	1,748	97	1,651	94.45%	1,826	91	1,735	95.02%	1,903	78	1,825	95.90%	1,698	85	1,613	95.00%
Eastern District of Washington	10,149	332	9,817	96.73%	10,213	252	9,961	97.53%	10,480	260	10,220	97.52%	9,453	230	9,223	97.57%
Western District of Washington	26,986	310	26,676	98.85%	29,030	446	28,584	98.46%	30,075	477	29,598	98.41%	28,956	435	28,521	98.50%
Eastern District of Wisconsin	14,612	236	14,376	98.38%	16,857	221	16,636	98.69%	18,850	191	18,659	98.99%	18,227	225	18,002	98.77%
Western District of Wisconsin	7,469	498	6,971	93.33%	8,438	635	7,803	92.47%	9,396	531	8,865	94.35%	9,183	517	8,666	94.37%
Northern District of West Virginia	4,101	133	3,968	96.76%	4,446	131	4,315	97.05%	4,654	101	4,553	97.83%	4,621	160	4,461	96.54%
Southern District of West Virginia	6,122	189	5,933	96.91%	6,020	226	5,794	96.25%	6,447	189	6,258	97.07%	6,913	87	6,826	98.74%
District of Wyoming	2,493	45	2,448	98.19%	2,264	47	2,217	97.92%	2,460	44	2,416	98.21%	2,482	65	2,417	97.38%
District of Guam	288	27	261	90.63%	379	23	356	93.93%	367	12	355	96.73%	346	6	340	98.27%
District of the Northern Mariana Islands	26	8	18	69.23%	25	3	22	88.00%	19	3	16	84.21%	23	1	22	95.65%
District of Puerto Rico	14,346	333	14,013	97.68%	13,811	351	13,460	97.46%	14,273	254	14,019	98.22%	13,285	286	12,999	97.85%
District of the Virgin Islands	65	12	53	81.54%	60	8	52	86.67%	52	3	49	94.23%	38	5	33	86.84%
United States	1,492,129	40,099	1,452,030	97.31%	1,577,651	38,540	1,539,111	97.56%	1,660,245	35,037	1,625,208	97.89%	1,597,462	34,317	1,563,145	97.85%

Read more about Annual Business and Non-business Filings by District (2001-2004)

Puerto Rico

Annual Business and Non-business Filings by District (1980-1984)

Quarterly Non-business Filings by District (2001-2005)

Annual Business and Non-business Filings by District (1995-1999)

Collier Bankruptcy Case Update

April 30, 2001

Annual Business Filings by District (1990-2006)

Annual Business Filings by District (1990-2006)

Annual Business and Non-business Filings by District (2001-2004)

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