Statewide bankruptcy filings jumped 72 percent last month to the highest level since a new federal law went into effect in October 2005 as the slumping economy continued to force Hawaii residents to seek financial protection.

The 215 filings in November continued an upward trend this year and represented an increase of 18 filings over the previous month and a steep jump from the 125 filed in November 2007, according to data released yesterday by the Office of the U.S. Trustee. The number of filings was the most since October 2005 when 1,463 people filed for bankruptcy - many of them in an attempt to beat a new law that went into effect on Oct. 17 of that year that made it more costly and difficult to file for bankruptcy.

Chuck Choi, a law partner with Wagner Choi & Verbrugge, said people are falling behind on their payments as available credit dries up.

“;A lot of people can't afford to keep up with their rising housing costs, and the easy credit card solution is not available now,”; Choi said. “;It's a combination of credit card companies lowering credit limits and not issuing as many credit cards. The unsecured credit card debt that was available as recently as a year ago to help people pay their bills is not available now.”;

Chapter 7 filings, the most common type of filing, soared 76 percent to 183 last month from 104 a year ago while Chapter 13 filings, which allow individuals with a regular source of income to set up plans to pay creditors over time, jumped 55 percent to 31 from 20 a year ago. The only Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing last month was by Air Kauai, a helicopter tour operator that sought protection after Bank of Hawaii repossessed the company's helicopters.