ABSTRACT
In 1992, 811,206 non-business bankruptcy cases were filed in the United States. In the fiscal year that ended June 30, 1992, there was one bankruptcy filing for every 96 households, compared with one case per 258 households in fiscal year 1984 (Flynn, 1992). Bankruptcy, often considered an economic problem of major import principally to corporations and businesses, has become a significant event for millions of American families, involving the possible unraveling of debts, restructuring of payments, and forfeiture of collateral and assets. This rapid growth and widespread prevalence of individual bankruptcies raises the question of the relationship of bankruptcy law to the family.
