On July 18, 2013, Detroit filed for Chapter 9 protection, becoming the largest U.S. city ever to declare municipal bankruptcy.

Now, after more than 14,000 docket entries, attorneys are beginning the long-awaited process of closing the case for good.

The bankruptcy pulled the city out of severe financial distress, but not without deep consequences. Retirees and pensioners saw cuts to monthly payments and health benefits, while cost-of-living increases were reduced for police and firefighters and eliminated for many others.

Despite nearly 17 months of intense legal battles, uncertainty around institutions like the Detroit Institute of Arts, and widespread concern over the city’s future, the process ultimately reset Detroit’s financial footing.

More than a decade later, the city has stabilized and evolved, with the Detroit of 2026 looking markedly different from what it was in 2013.