ALEXANDRIA, Va. — For the first time in three years, total bankruptcy filings in the United States didn't climb by double digits year-over-year.

The American Bankruptcy Institute reported this week that total 2010 bankruptcies increased 8 percent above the 2009 amount, according to data released from the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts.

The institute discovered bankruptcy filings totaled 1,593,081 for the 12-month period ending Dec. 31. The previous year's total was 1,473,675.

ABI pointed out total filings have steadily increased since the implementation of the Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act of 2005. Officials noted total bankruptcies reached 2,078,415 in advance of the 2005 changes to the bankruptcy code.

"After three consecutive years of double-digit increases in total filings, the slowing of the growth rate of bankruptcies reflects a retrenchment in consumer spending associated with a down U.S. economy," explained ABI executive director Samuel Gerdano.

Taking a deep look into the 2010 data, ABI discovered the 1,536,799 consumer filings during the calendar year represented a 9-percent increase over the 1,412,838 filings recorded during the same period in 2009.

Of the 2010 total, officials indicated 1,100,116 consumer filings were Chapter 7. The amount comprised a 9-percent climb from the Chapter 7 figure that came in 2009, which was 1,008,870.

"The consumer Chapter 7 filings comprised 72 percent of the total consumer filings for the 2010 calendar year, up slightly from the previous year," ABI officials mentioned.

"The percentage of consumers filing under Chapter 7 has increased each year since BAPCPA was implemented at the end of 2005," they added.

Meanwhile the 434,739 consumers who filed for Chapter 13 during the 12-month period ending Dec. 31 comprised 28 percent of the overall consumer filing total. The consumer Chapter 13 total for 2010 created an 8-percent uptick over the 402,462 consumer Chapter 13 filings during 2009.

While total and consumer bankruptcies continued to increase in 2010, ABI determined business filings decreased by 7.5 percent.

The instituted learned business bankruptcies dropped to 56,282 filings in 2010. During the previous year, business filings totaled 60,837.

Officials found Chapter 11 business filings decreased the most in the last calendar year, falling 14 percent to 11,774 from the 13,683 recorded in 2009.

ABI said the only business bankruptcy chapter to experience an increase in 2010 was Chapter 12, which is designed to give special debt relief to family farmers and fishermen. Data showed Chapter 12 business filings increased 33 percent to 723 bankruptcies, up from the 2009 total of 544 filings

"The 2010 Chapter 12 business bankruptcies represent the highest total since the 834 filings registered during the 12-month period ending Dec. 31, 1999," ABI declared.

Analysis by Geographic Region

Along with highlighting the overall 2010 figures, ABI pinpointed geographic areas posted the most dramatic year-over-year bankruptcy filing changes.

The districts with the highest percentage increase in total filings for the 12-month period that ended Dec. 31 were:

—Southern District of Florida: 36.2 percent.

—Central District of California: 31.4 percent.

—District of Hawaii: 27.4 percent.

—District of Utah: 24.6 percent.

—District of Arizona: 23.7 percent.

The districts with the highest percentage decrease in total filings for the 12-month period were:

—District of Guam: 21.7 percent.

—District of the Virgin Islands: 17.2 percent.

—Eastern District of Tennessee: 10.5 percent.

—Northern District of West Virginia: 10.3 percent.

—Western District of New York: 9.9 percent.

Fourth Quarter Bankruptcy Readings

During the same discussion, ABI touched on the amount of bankruptcies recorded during the fourth quarter of 2010.

ABI calculated the 370,080 total bankruptcies recorded during the fourth quarter represent a 1-percent decrease from the 372,203 filings during the same period in 2009. The institute also mentioned the amount marked a 10-percent drop from the third quarter when 412,380 filings occurred.

Officials pointed out the 357,050 consumer filings comprised a 0.4-percent downtick in comparison to the same quarter of 2009, which contained 357,183 consumer filings.

Mirroring the overall filing total, ABI determined fourth-quarter consumer filings represented a 10-percent decrease from the previous quarter, which had 398,423 consumer filings.

Looking at the fourth quarter data by bankruptcy category, ABI revealed the amount contained 248,526 Chapter 7s, 466 Chapter 11s and 108,057 Chapter 13s.

Furthermore, officials noticed business filings sunk by double digits, too

The fourth-quarter business bankruptcy total came in at 13,030, which was off by 13 percent from the year-ago amount, 15,020.

The quarter-to-quarter decrease wasn't quite as much, a 7-percent drop from the 13,957 business filings reported during the third quarter of 2010.

Finally, the fourth-quarter business bankruptcy breakdown by category was 9,142 Chapter 7s, 2,682 Chapter 11s, 164 Chapter 12s and 989 Chapter 13s.