Bankruptcy filings surge as law looms
Mass. debtors seek protection before complex, costly change
By Robert Gavin, Globe Staff
October 13, 2005

Struggling debtors are rushing to file for bankruptcy before Monday, when a new law that makes it more complex and costly to gain protection from creditors goes into effect.

In the first 11 days of October, more than 2,500 new bankruptcy cases were filed in Massachusetts, compared to 464 during the same period a year ago, according to the clerk's office at US Bankruptcy Court in Boston. More than 1,000 new cases were filed over the long Columbus Day weekend alone.

Bankruptcy Court Clerk James Lynch said he expects the deluge to continue through the weekend. Over the last few weeks, local bankruptcy lawyers say they are filing up to five times as many cases as they normally would. The rest