Hawaii bankruptcy filings in June reached their highest monthly total in 44 months as consumers and businesses felt the strain of the state’s downward economic spiral.

Figures from the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Honolulu show there were 271 bankruptcy filings last month, with the majority of the petitions for creditor relief coming in the form of Chapter 7 liquidations.
The monthly total was the highest since consumers rushed to file bankruptcies prior to a law change that made it more difficult and expensive to seek financial protection in October 2005. That month 1,463 cases were filed.