Northwest Ohio bankruptcies up 29% from July, 2007

8/5/2008

Bankruptcies in northwest Ohio continued their climb last month, surpassing 600 filings for the fourth time this year, a barrier that was never exceeded in any month in 2007.

July filings totaled 660 cases, up 29 percent from the same month a year ago and 10 percent from June s 601 cases, according to the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Toledo. It handles filings for 21 northwest Ohio counties.

For the year, filings total 4,086, or 23 percent more than last year. Most of local cases are Chapter 7 liquidations, up 27 percent from a year ago, and there are two farm bankruptcies compared with none last year.

Nationwide, cases are up 48 percent in July from a year ago, at 94,124, according to the American Bankruptcy Institute, Alexandria, Va.