The number of Hawaii residents and businesses filing for bankruptcy fell in April for the 25th consecutive month, according to data released today by U.S. Bankruptcy Court.

The 206 cases filed in April represented a 19 percent decrease from the 264 cases filed the same month a year earlier, the court reported. Bankruptcy filings have been trending lower since peaking at an average 330 a month in 2010 in the midst of an economic downturn.

Bankruptcies fell in all counties except Maui, where the 55 cases fild in April was 45 perent higher than the 38 cases filed a year earlier. In Honolulu County the number of cases fell to 121 in April, a 23 percent drop from 157 the same month last year. In Hawaii County filings fell 56 percent to 20 cases and in Maui County Kauai they fell 29 percent to 10 cases.