Hawai'i bankruptcy filings reached their highest monthly total in 32 months as financially strapped consumers sought relief from creditors and collection agencies in June.

Figures compiled by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Honolulu show there were 163 petitions for bankruptcy last month, the most since the U.S. bankruptcy law was changed in October 2005. The total was 46 percent higher than a year earlier.

"It just seems like a lot more hard luck stories," said Michael Glenn, a Honolulu attorney specializing in bankruptcies.

"A lot more 'I just didn't ever think this would happen to me.' "

Hawai'i, despite having among the lowest per-capita bankruptcy filing rates in the nation, isn't immune to a national trend of rising bankruptcy filings. The American Bankruptcy Institute is projecting more than 1 million bankruptcies will be filed across the country this year, the first time that level has been reached since the new law went into effect.

The law made it more expensive and time-consuming to seek bankruptcy.

The Hawai'i figures show the number of filings rose by 30 percent during the first six months of 2008 compared with a similar period a year earlier. Much of the increase has been tied to consumers having problems meeting credit card bills and mortgage payments as the economy slows.

Glenn said many of those he sees are folks who are barely getting by and maybe have lost a job or are unable to keep up with their mortgage or credit card payments. He said lenders then start charging late fees and higher interest rates, making it difficult for someone who's low on funds to catch up.

He's also seeing people who own big vehicles that have poor gas mileage file for bankruptcy because they'd still owe the lender money even if they sold the car.

Another group of people are those who ordinarily would get another job if they lost one. But because of Hawai'i's slowing economy, they can't find new work, Glenn said.

"It just seems like there's no new jobs out there," he said.