20 datasets covering U.S. federal bankruptcy. Every dataset is downloadable as CSV under CC BY 4.0. Source code is on GitHub. Methodology + caveats live with each dataset.
Disposition + Duration
core · 218,913 cases: outcomes & timing
View dataset →Filing Volume (35-year time series)
trends · BAPCPA + recession + COVID effects
View dataset →Filing Volume Spike Days
trends · Oct 14, 2005 BAPCPA rush (z=36.61) + modern batches
View dataset →Discharge Rate Trends
trends · Year-over-year, BAPCPA cohorts
View dataset →Filing-to-Discharge Lag Distribution
core · 128K cases, full percentile breakdown
View dataset →Rare Outcomes (727(a)/727(d)/707(b)/1328(b))
doctrine · 1,119 doctrinal-lever cases
View dataset →Adversary Proceeding Patterns
doctrine · 5,577 APs, dispositions + rates
View dataset →Subchapter V Adoption Curve
doctrine · 2020 launch through CARES sunset
View dataset →Multi-Filer Recidivism
patterns · 10,021 multi-filers, 199,848 unique debtors
View dataset →First vs Recidivist Filer Outcomes
patterns · Outcome differential by filing position
View dataset →Joint vs Individual Filing
patterns · 35-year couples-filing trend
View dataset →District Outcome Fingerprints
geographic · Per-district outcome mix
View dataset →Dismissal Rate by District
geographic · Per-district dismissal-rate ranking
View dataset →Divisional Office Patterns
geographic · 204 offices, 36% – 93% discharge spread
View dataset →Filing-Fee Failure Patterns
access · 2,749 cases: 99.2% are Ch.13 plan defaults
View dataset →Discharge Withholding
access · 817 cases: missed cert, lost discharge
View dataset →Quick-Dismissal Patterns (≤30 days)
access · 1,268 cases dismissed in ≤30 days
View dataset →Long-Pending Zombie Cases
data-quality · 2,065 cases pending 5+ years, no closure
View dataset →
Open Bankruptcy Project. Bankruptcy Empirical Datasets. 2026. https://viz.openbankruptcyproject.org/. CC BY 4.0.
Source: 220,037 federal bankruptcy cases harvested from PACER (2008-2026). Court codes follow PACER conventions (e.g., flsbk = U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Southern District of Florida; mowbk = U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Western District of Missouri). Dispositions are administrative classifications, not legal holdings; researchers seeking case-level legal reasoning should pull underlying dockets.
Per-dataset methodology, sample sizes, and caveats are documented on each dataset page. Source code: obp-empirical-toolkit.