Northwest Ohio filings for bankruptcy decrease

10/1/2010
BLADE STAFF

For the first time in six months, bankruptcy filings for northwest Ohio dipped below 700 cases last month. The decline meant the filings for the first nine months are below those of a year ago.

There were 698 filings last month and most were Chapter 7 liquidation cases, according to the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Toledo. That was down from 794 for September, 2009, and from 785 in August. The court covers 21 counties.

The number of cases has been rising since a year after federal reforms took effect in 2005. The total cases this year are 6,735, down 73 cases from the same time last year.