OBP has launched a network of free educational websites covering every major bankruptcy topic - with interactive tools, bilingual content in English and Spanish, and data from 8 million federal cases. No ads, no attorney referrals, no paywalls. Leer en español
FJC data shows an estimated 75,962 bankruptcy discharges may have been granted in violation of the Section 1328(f) waiting period. N.D. Ill. leads with 822 estimated violations. No automated screening exists in any federal court.
37.7% of Chapter 13 filers nationally are prior filers. In Utah, the rate hits 54.4%. Prior filers get discharged at just 23.9% - the system is failing them twice.
E.D.N.Y. dismisses 96.4% of Chapter 13 cases. Analysis of 2.3 million FJC filings across 94 districts exposes a 48-point gap between the worst and best performing courts.
Analysis of 16,568 consumer bankruptcy filings across 85 federal courts reveals significant geographic concentration. Florida, Kansas, Missouri, and Texas lead the nation.
Analysis of 18,462 Chapter 13 cases reveals a national discharge rate of 41.2%, with rates ranging from near zero to over 60% depending on the district.
Updated Census Bureau median income figures for April 2026 raise Chapter 7 means test thresholds by 3-5%, potentially pushing more middle-income families into Chapter 13 repayment plans.
Pro se bankruptcy filers face dismissal rates 2-3x higher than represented debtors. As attorney fees rise, more consumers attempt to navigate federal bankruptcy without counsel.
Fee disclosures in consumer bankruptcy happen after retention, lack standardization, and sit behind PACER's paywall. Open Bankruptcy Project data reveals significant concentration in the consumer bankruptcy bar.
You May Also Find Helpful
Brunner Test (§523(a)(8))
3-prong analysis for discharging student loans
Car Loan After Bankruptcy
Buy a car and get financing post-discharge
Student Loans in Bankruptcy
Can you discharge them? 2026 guide
Federal Exemptions §522(d)
Complete list of federal exemptions
Nondischargeable Debts List
Debts that survive bankruptcy discharge
Bankruptcy Attorney Malpractice
When your lawyer fails you — bar complaints, fee disgorgement, file recovery