Damages - Money that a defendant pays a plaintiff in a civil case if the plaintiff has won. Damages may be compensatory (for loss or injury) or punitive (to punish and deter future misconduct).⏎
Dischargeable debt - A debt for which the Bankruptcy Code allows the debtor's personal liability to be eliminated.⏎
Court - Government entity authorized to resolve legal disputes. Judges sometimes use "court" to refer to themselves in the third person, as in "the court has read the briefs."⏎
Consumer debts - Debts incurred for personal, as opposed to business, needs.⏎
Contingent claim - A claim that may be owed by the debtor under certain circumstances, e.g., where the debtor is a cosigner on another person's loan and that person fails to pay.⏎