Every Monday I count the bankruptcy cases filed in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Missouri, the court that covers St. Louis, St. Charles County and the rest of eastern Missouri. For the week of Nov. 2–8, 2026, 92 cases were filed here: 49 Chapter 7 and 43 Chapter 13. Nationally, the courts I track logged 10,635 new cases.
That’s way down from the week before, when the district had 166 filings and the country had 16,460, the busiest national week since I started keeping track in October 2025. Before anybody pops the champagne: this happens every single month. Filings pile up in the last week of the month, then drop off the next week. The same week last year? Also 92 cases here. A little spooky.
What the trend looks like
One week is noise. The trend is what matters, so here’s the last year:
Over the last four weeks, Chapter 7 filings here totaled 287, about the same as the four weeks before (down 2%) and down 9% from the same stretch last year. Chapter 13 filings totaled 212, down 8% from the four weeks before but up 13% from a year ago.
Over the whole year, Chapter 7 had its busy season from mid-January to early April, averaging about 87 filings a week, with a high of 121 the week of Feb. 23. Since late summer it has settled to about 72 a week. Chapter 13 has been the steady one, running 46 to 54 a week all year, and a little higher this fall.
Nationally, filings have run about 12,300 a week since mid-January, up from about 10,700 a week last fall and winter. Over the last four weeks the country is up 3% from a year ago, while our district is about even. So eastern Missouri isn’t seeing a surge. People here are still filing at a steady clip, and a few more of them are choosing Chapter 13.
What this means if you’re struggling with debt
- The numbers don’t decide anything for you. Whether 90 people filed last week or 170, your situation is your own. Other people filing doesn’t make bankruptcy right or wrong for you.
- Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 do different jobs. Chapter 7 is usually the quicker route and can wipe out many debts like credit cards and medical bills. Chapter 13 is a three-to-five-year repayment plan that people often use to catch up on a house or car. Which one fits, or whether bankruptcy fits at all, depends on your income, your property and what you want to keep.
- Get the facts early. If collectors are calling or a lawsuit or garnishment is on the way, knowing your options sooner gives you more of them to choose from.
This is general information, not legal advice for your situation.
Let’s talk
If you’re in St. Charles or St. Louis and wondering whether bankruptcy makes sense for you, contact Markwell Law for a consultation. I’ll walk you through your options in plain English. No judgment, no lecture.
Source: CourtListener docket data for U.S. Bankruptcy Court, E.D. Mo., and U.S. bankruptcy courts nationally; national figures cover most but not all courts.
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