FY2024 data Public-data reference. official source

Chapter 12 - Family Farmer & Fisherman

Open-data reference.

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National trend FY2015–FY2024 · 0.1% of all filings in FY2024

Statistical information only, not legal advice. Consult a bankruptcy attorney for guidance on your specific situation.

What is Chapter 12?

Specialized reorganization for family farmers and commercial fishermen. Similar to Chapter 13 but with higher debt limits and provisions tailored to seasonal income patterns.

Who Files

Family farmers (at least 50% of income from farming, debt $12.4M or under for individuals/$12.4M for family partnerships) and family fishermen with similar criteria.

Timeline

3–5 year repayment plan, similar to Chapter 13.

FY2024 National

951

Total Chapter 12 filings

0.1%

Share of all bankruptcy filings

Chapter 12 Filings by Year

Fiscal Year Chapter 12 Filings
FY2024 951
FY2023 1,160
FY2022 1,237
FY2021 1,489
FY2020 1,057
FY2019 789
FY2018 798
FY2017 910
FY2016 1,084
FY2015 1,012

States Ranked by Chapter 12 Filings

Rank State Ch. 12 Filings
1 California 39
2 Texas 48
3 Florida 18
4 Georgia 28
5 New York 12
6 Illinois 12
7 Tennessee 28
8 Ohio 18
9 Pennsylvania 12
10 Michigan 18
11 Alabama 42
12 North Carolina 28
13 New Jersey 4
14 Arizona 12
15 Virginia 18
16 Indiana 18
17 Louisiana 18
18 Missouri 18
19 Washington 28
20 Maryland 4
21 Nevada 8
22 Oklahoma 28
23 South Carolina 18
24 Colorado 18
25 Kentucky 18
26 Minnesota 28
27 Wisconsin 18
28 Mississippi 18
29 Massachusetts 2
30 Oregon 28
31 Utah 12
32 Arkansas 38
33 Kansas 28
34 Iowa 69
35 Connecticut 2
36 New Mexico 12
37 Nebraska 28
38 West Virginia 12
39 Idaho 28
40 Hawaii 2
41 Maine 12
42 Delaware 1
43 New Hampshire 2
44 Montana 28
45 Rhode Island 1
46 Alaska 4
47 Vermont 8
48 Wyoming 19
49 North Dakota 19
50 South Dakota 19
51 District of Columbia 0

What the Chapter 12 Data Shows

Nationally, Chapter 12 (Family Farmer & Fisherman) filings totaled 951 in FY2024, representing 0.1% of all bankruptcy petitions filed in federal court that year. Across the 10-year window AOUSC publishes (FY2015–FY2024), Chapter 12 volumes fell 6.0% - from 1,012 in the earliest year to 951 most recently. Specialized reorganization for family farmers and commercial fishermen. Similar to Chapter 13 but with higher debt limits and provisions tailored to seasonal income patterns.

Who uses this chapter: Family farmers (at least 50% of income from farming, debt $12.4M or under for individuals/$12.4M for family partnerships) and family fishermen with similar criteria. Expected timeline: 3–5 year repayment plan, similar to Chapter 13. Geographic concentration is substantial, in FY2024, California alone recorded 39 Chapter 12 filings, and the highest-volume states include California, Texas, Florida, Georgia, New York. These distributions are not random: they are shaped by state exemption laws, the means-test income threshold for Chapter 7 eligibility, local trustee and court practices, attorney fee conventions, and homeownership rates that influence whether debtors choose liquidation or repayment paths.

These statistics describe the overall population of Chapter 12 cases; they do not predict the outcome of any individual filing. Chapter 13 plan completion rates, Chapter 7 discharge denials, Chapter 11 plan confirmations, and Chapter 12 operational-restructuring success all vary widely by district, debtor circumstance, and creditor posture. This page is statistical information only and is not legal advice; anyone considering whether Chapter 12 is appropriate for their situation should consult a licensed bankruptcy attorney who can evaluate income, assets, debt composition, and the specific rules of the relevant judicial district.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Chapter 12 bankruptcy?

Specialized reorganization for family farmers and commercial fishermen. Similar to Chapter 13 but with higher debt limits and provisions tailored to seasonal income patterns.

Who is eligible to file Chapter 12?

Family farmers (at least 50% of income from farming, debt $12.4M or under for individuals/$12.4M for family partnerships) and family fishermen with similar criteria.

How long does Chapter 12 take?

3–5 year repayment plan, similar to Chapter 13.

How many Chapter 12 cases were filed in FY2024?

There were 951 Chapter 12 bankruptcy filings nationally in FY2024, representing 0.1% of all bankruptcy filings. Filing data is from the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts.

Which states have the most Chapter 12 filings?

The top states for Chapter 12 filings in FY2024 are California, Texas, Florida. State-level filing rates reflect differences in exemption laws, income levels, and economic conditions.

Bankruptcy Guides

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Business Bankruptcy

Chapter 11 restructuring trends and patterns.
Chapter 7 →Chapter 11 →Chapter 13 → National Trends → Chapter 7 vs 13 Guide →

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

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Data sourced from Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts (AOUSC) Judicial Caseload Statistics. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainBankruptcy Editorial

Every figure on PlainBankruptcy is rendered directly from federal court source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on federal court source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.