You're Not Alone: Bankruptcy Filings Drastically Increase in the Eastern District of Michigan

The chief judge of the bankruptcy court in the Eastern District of Michigan has posted the 2009 State of the Court to the court's website.  It includes statistics about recent bankruptcy filings:

• Between June of 2007 and 2008, bankruptcy filings were up 25%.  Between June of 2008 and 2009, bankruptcy filings were up another 20%!
• 38,681 filings were chapter 7; only 8,961 were chapter 13 filings.
• Chapter 7 filings increased 40% and chapter 13 filings decreased 7% (wasn't the means test amendment in 2005 to encourage more chapter 13 filings? Hrmm..)
• 1,472 chapter 13's were filed with "lien strips" to remove wholly unsecured second mortgages from the primary residence if all the plan payments are made.

The case load in the eastern district is becoming so heavy, they are considering adding three new judges. If you're looking at filing for bankruptcy in Michigan, you're certainly not alone.