Market data
Bankruptcy in Wisconsin: market data
What public records say about the market for bankruptcy in Wisconsin: how much demand the courts and agencies count, how many law offices serve it, how many people need help in Spanish, and the ad rules that apply. Every number links to the record it comes from.
Demand: what courts and agencies count
Counts of filings, crashes, complaints and enforcement in the records each agency keeps. A count shows where problems were recorded, not how many people will hire a lawyer.
| Measure | Value | Period | Place | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business bankruptcy cases | 219 cases, 12 months | 12 months ending 2026-09-30 | Wisconsin state | bankruptcy v1.0.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23739952 record bankruptcy-55 · status P · checked 2026-10-28 |
| Chapter 13 bankruptcy cases | 3,518 cases, 12 months | 12 months ending 2026-09-30 | Wisconsin state | bankruptcy v1.0.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23739952 record bankruptcy-55 · status P · checked 2026-10-28 |
| Chapter 7 bankruptcy cases | 6,707 cases, 12 months | 12 months ending 2026-09-30 | Wisconsin state | bankruptcy v1.0.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23739952 record bankruptcy-55 · status P · checked 2026-10-28 |
| Bankruptcy cases filed | 10,284 cases, 12 months | 12 months ending 2026-09-30 | Wisconsin state | bankruptcy v1.0.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23739952 record bankruptcy-55 · status P · checked 2026-10-28 |
| CFPB debt or credit management complaints | 113 complaints, 12 months | 12 months from 2025-10-01 | Wisconsin state | consumer-complaints v1.0.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23733731 record cfpb-wi-debt-management · status P · checked 2026-10-27 |
| Business bankruptcy cases | 135 cases, 12 months | 12 months ending 2026-09-30 | Eastern District of Wisconsin federal district | bankruptcy v1.0.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23739952 record bankruptcy-wi-e · status P · checked 2026-10-28 |
| Chapter 13 bankruptcy cases | 2,723 cases, 12 months | 12 months ending 2026-09-30 | Eastern District of Wisconsin federal district | bankruptcy v1.0.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23739952 record bankruptcy-wi-e · status P · checked 2026-10-28 |
| Chapter 7 bankruptcy cases | 4,652 cases, 12 months | 12 months ending 2026-09-30 | Eastern District of Wisconsin federal district | bankruptcy v1.0.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23739952 record bankruptcy-wi-e · status P · checked 2026-10-28 |
| Bankruptcy cases filed | 7,409 cases, 12 months | 12 months ending 2026-09-30 | Eastern District of Wisconsin federal district | bankruptcy v1.0.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23739952 record bankruptcy-wi-e · status P · checked 2026-10-28 |
| Business bankruptcy cases | 83 cases, 12 months | 12 months ending 2026-09-30 | Western District of Wisconsin federal district | bankruptcy v1.0.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23739952 record bankruptcy-wi-w · status P · checked 2026-10-28 |
| Chapter 13 bankruptcy cases | 793 cases, 12 months | 12 months ending 2026-09-30 | Western District of Wisconsin federal district | bankruptcy v1.0.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23739952 record bankruptcy-wi-w · status P · checked 2026-10-28 |
| Chapter 7 bankruptcy cases | 2,047 cases, 12 months | 12 months ending 2026-09-30 | Western District of Wisconsin federal district | bankruptcy v1.0.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23739952 record bankruptcy-wi-w · status P · checked 2026-10-28 |
| Bankruptcy cases filed | 2,866 cases, 12 months | 12 months ending 2026-09-30 | Western District of Wisconsin federal district | bankruptcy v1.0.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23739952 record bankruptcy-wi-w · status P · checked 2026-10-28 |
Rising or falling
The change between the last two periods each source publishes. No threshold and no smoothing.
| Measure | Before | Latest | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Business bankruptcy cases Wisconsin · record bankruptcy-55 | 240 2026-06-30 | 219 2026-09-30 | falling (-8.7%) |
| Chapter 13 bankruptcy cases Wisconsin · record bankruptcy-55 | 3,502 2026-06-30 | 3,518 2026-09-30 | rising (+0.5%) |
| Chapter 7 bankruptcy cases Wisconsin · record bankruptcy-55 | 6,592 2026-06-30 | 6,707 2026-09-30 | rising (+1.7%) |
| Bankruptcy cases filed Wisconsin · record bankruptcy-55 | 10,157 2026-06-30 | 10,284 2026-09-30 | rising (+1.3%) |
| CFPB debt or credit management complaints Wisconsin · record cfpb-wi-debt-management | 48 prior 12 months | 113 12 months from 2025-10-01 | rising (+135.4%) |
Lawyer supply
How many law offices and lawyers the federal statistics count here.
| Measure | Value | Period | Place | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New lawyers admitted | 313 lawyers a year | 2025 | Wisconsin state | bar-pipeline v1.0.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23721443 record wi-bar-pipeline · status P · checked 2026-10-28 |
| Counties under 1 law office per 10,000 residents | 12 counties | 2026-Q1 | Wisconsin state | deserts v1.0.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23721430 record deserts-55 · status P · checked 2026-10-28 |
| Counties with no law office | 4 counties | 2026-Q1 | Wisconsin state | deserts v1.0.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23721430 record deserts-55 · status P · checked 2026-10-28 |
| Residents living in those low-office counties | 6.3 percent of residents | 2026-Q1 | Wisconsin state | deserts v1.0.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23721430 record deserts-55 · status P · checked 2026-10-28 |
| Employer law firms | 1,618 firms | 2022 | Wisconsin state | law-firm-economy v1.0.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23739997 record lfe-wi-all · status P · checked 2026-10-28 |
| Receipts of employer law firms | 2,666,943,000 US dollars | 2022 | Wisconsin state | law-firm-economy v1.0.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23739997 record lfe-wi-all · status P · checked 2026-10-28 |
| Law offices per 10,000 residents | 3.47 per 10,000 residents | 2026-Q1 | Wisconsin state | law-offices v1.0.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23721415 record law-offices-55 · status P · checked 2026-10-28 |
| Self-employed lawyers (nonemployer firms) | 2,458 firms | latest Nonemployer Statistics year | Wisconsin state | law-offices v1.0.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23721415 record law-offices-55 · status P · checked 2026-10-28 |
| Private law offices | 2,073 establishments | 2026-Q1 | Wisconsin state | law-offices v1.0.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23721415 record law-offices-55 · status P · checked 2026-10-28 |
| Lawyers employed (wage-earning, BLS OEWS) | 9,160 jobs | May 2025 | Wisconsin state | lawyer-wages v1.0.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23734840 record lawyer-wages:WI:231011:2025 · status P · checked 2026-10-28 |
| Median annual wage of employed lawyers | 126,760 US dollars a year | May 2025 | Wisconsin state | lawyer-wages v1.0.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23734840 record lawyer-wages:WI:231011:2025 · status P · checked 2026-10-28 |
Counties with the most demand per law office
Of the 25 counties in Wisconsin with the most bankruptcy cases filed, the ten with the most per private law office. Both counts are shown with their records.
| County | Demand | Law offices | Per office |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dodge County, WI | 143 record bankruptcy-55027 | 8 record law-offices-55027 | 17.88 |
| Rock County, WI | 362 record bankruptcy-55105 | 26 record law-offices-55105 | 13.92 |
| Fond du Lac County, WI | 184 record bankruptcy-55039 | 14 record law-offices-55039 | 13.14 |
| Kenosha County, WI | 416 record bankruptcy-55059 | 37 record law-offices-55059 | 11.24 |
| Racine County, WI | 446 record bankruptcy-55101 | 47 record law-offices-55101 | 9.49 |
| Waupaca County, WI | 81 record bankruptcy-55135 | 9 record law-offices-55135 | 9 |
| Columbia County, WI | 88 record bankruptcy-55021 | 10 record law-offices-55021 | 8.8 |
| Jefferson County, WI | 93 record bankruptcy-55055 | 11 record law-offices-55055 | 8.45 |
| Milwaukee County, WI | 3,523 record bankruptcy-55079 | 447 record law-offices-55079 | 7.88 |
| Brown County, WI | 497 record bankruptcy-55009 | 67 record law-offices-55009 | 7.42 |
Bankruptcy cases filed (bankruptcy v1.0.0, 12 months ending 2026-09-30) ÷ Private law offices (law-offices v1.0.0, 2026-Q1). ratio = bankruptcy.filings / law-offices.qcew_estabs, rounded to 2 decimals; ranked highest first, among the 25 units with the most demand. Units with zero supply are listed apart (ratio undefined); units without a published value are listed as missing.
Spanish-language demand
People who speak Spanish and speak English less than very well, and the lawyers who speak Spanish, from the Census Bureau survey (with margins of error).
| Measure | Value | Period | Place | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spanish speakers with limited English (ACS) | 107,057 ±2,918 people age 5+ | 2020-2024 | Wisconsin state | language v1.1.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23656758 record language:state:WI:spanish-lep · status P · checked 2026-10-25 |
| Spanish speakers with limited English | 107,057 ±2,968 people age 5+ | 2020-2024 | Wisconsin state | legal-need v1.0.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23741886 record legal-need-wi · status P · checked 2026-10-28 |
Ad rules that apply
The rules a law firm's ads in Wisconsin have to meet, summarized from the official texts. The full rules, with quotes, are on the state page.
| Topic | Status | What it says |
|---|---|---|
| Ad filing or review | P primary source | Ads are not filed (SCR 20:7.2). A copy of every written, recorded or electronic solicitation of someone known to need legal services in a particular matter must be filed with the Office of Lawyer Regulation within five days of its dissemination (7.3(c)). official source · rules v1.4.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23750572 · checked 2026-10-28 |
| Required content | P primary source | Every ad must include the name and office address of at least one lawyer or firm responsible for its content (7.2(c)). Solicitations of someone known to need legal services in a particular matter must carry "advertising material" on the outside envelope and… official source · rules v1.4.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23750572 · checked 2026-10-28 |
| Waiting periods for contact | P primary source | The rules set no fixed waiting period. A solicitation is barred if the lawyer knows or should know the person's physical, emotional or mental state makes it unlikely they would exercise reasonable judgment in hiring a lawyer, if the person has said no, or if… official source · rules v1.4.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23750572 · checked 2026-10-28 |
| Claims and results | P primary source | A communication is false or misleading if it is likely to create an unjustified expectation about results, compares services without factual support, or contains a paid testimonial or paid endorsement without identifying that payment was made or, if the… official source · rules v1.4.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23750572 · checked 2026-10-28 |
| Paying for referrals | P primary source | A lawyer may not give anything of value for recommending the lawyer's services, except: reasonable ad costs, the usual charges of a legal service plan or a not-for-profit or qualified lawyer referral service, practice sales under 1.17, and non-exclusive… official source · rules v1.4.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23750572 · checked 2026-10-28 |
| Call recording | P primary source | A person who is a party to a call, or when one party has given prior consent, may record it, unless the recording is made to commit a crime or a tort. official source · rules v1.4.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23750572 · checked 2026-10-28 |
| Texting | P primary source | Wisconsin's telephone solicitation statute covers calls and text messages (prerecorded messages need consent; state do-not-call registry), and the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection enforces it, with forfeitures of up to $100 per… official source · rules v1.4.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23750572 · checked 2026-10-28 |
| Ad filing or review | P primary source | Wisconsin: general ads are not filed, but targeted solicitations must be filed, after the ad first runs. official source · filing v1.2.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23721409 · checked 2026-10-25 |
| Paying for referrals | P primary source | Lawyers in different firms may split a fee, if the total is reasonable, in one of three ways: by services performed (with the client told and not objecting), under a separation or retirement agreement between former colleagues, or on a referral where each… official source · referral v1.1.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23747113 · checked 2026-10-27 |
Prices and pay (national)
| Measure | Value | Period | Place | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jobs in legal services (seasonally adjusted) | 1,249 thousand jobs | 2026-09 | United States United States | legal-prices v1.0.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23734854 record legal-prices:CES6054110001:2026-09 · status P · checked 2026-10-28 |
| CPI-U: legal services | 230 index | 2026-09 | United States United States | legal-prices v1.0.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23734854 record legal-prices:CUUR0000SEGC01:2026-09 · status P · checked 2026-10-28 |
| PPI: offices of lawyers | 338 index | 2026-09 | United States United States | legal-prices v1.0.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23734854 record legal-prices:PCU541110541110:2026-09 · status P · checked 2026-10-28 |
Download and cite
The rows behind this page, with every dataset, version, DOI, record id and check date.
Cite as: Probative Growth, Bankruptcy filings by chapter, court district, state and county, quarterly (U.S. Courts) v1.0.0 (doi:10.5281/zenodo.23739952); The new-lawyer pipeline by jurisdiction: bar exam pass rates and new admissions, 2025 v1.0.0 (doi:10.5281/zenodo.23721443); CFPB complaints about debt collection, credit reporting and debt management, by state and month v1.0.0 (doi:10.5281/zenodo.23733731); Legal deserts: law offices and lawyers per resident in every U.S. county v1.0.0 (doi:10.5281/zenodo.23721430); Spanish-speaking demand vs Spanish-speaking lawyer supply, by state and metro v1.1.0 (doi:10.5281/zenodo.23656758); Law firm size, solos and receipts, by state: Census SUSB 2022, Nonemployer Statistics 2024 and Economic Census 2022 v1.0.0 (doi:10.5281/zenodo.23739997); Law offices, jobs and pay by county, with solo-practice counts: BLS QCEW, Census CBP and Nonemployer Statistics v1.0.0 (doi:10.5281/zenodo.23721415); Lawyer, paralegal and legal-staff pay by state and metro (BLS OEWS) v1.0.0 (doi:10.5281/zenodo.23734840); Legal need by county: who may need a lawyer, from the American Community Survey v1.0.0 (doi:10.5281/zenodo.23741886); Legal-services prices and jobs, monthly (BLS CPI, PPI and CES) v1.0.0 (doi:10.5281/zenodo.23734854); CC BY 4.0. https://probativegrowth.com/markets/wisconsin/bankruptcy/
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How this page is built
Each figure is copied from one record of the dataset named with it, joined to this state and practice through the open practice and place crosswalk. Nothing is estimated. Methods, inputs and limits.