Discharge — in plain language
a legal release or ending — freeing someone from a duty, debt, job, or obligation
From a fixed, curated glossary of 7,257 legal terms. Not legal advice. How it's made: plainlanguage.us/trust
Plain language
a legal release or ending — freeing someone from a duty, debt, job, or obligation
- legal release
- official ending
- formal release from duty
- being let go from an obligation
What to watch for
- In bankruptcy, 'discharge' does not mean all debts are erased — some like student loans and recent taxes typically remain. A plain-language translation must specify which debts are affected.
- In employment contexts, 'discharge' means fired, not the everyday meaning of 'to let water out.' Non-lawyers often misread it as a plumbing term.
- The term appears in phrases like 'discharge of obligations' which simply means fulfilling what you promised to do — not necessarily ending something.
- Military discharge has different types (honorable, general, other-than-honorable) that carry very different consequences. A generic translation loses this important distinction.
Context Determines Meaning. "Discharge" changes meaning dramatically depending on where it appears. In bankruptcy, it means debts are wiped out. In employment, it means getting fired. In contracts, it often just means completing what you promised. Always check the surrounding context to choose the right plain-language translation.
What to Watch For.
- Bankruptcy discharge: Specify which debts are eliminated and note that some (like student loans) often survive.
- Employment discharge: This means termination, not the everyday meaning of releasing water or energy.
- Contract discharge: Often means fulfilling obligations, not ending them — the duty is completed, not cancelled.
Common Misunderstandings by Non-Lawyers.
- "'Discharge' sounds like letting water out of a hose — I thought it meant releasing something physical." (In legal contexts, it almost always means releasing someone from a legal duty or obligation.)
- "If I get a discharge in bankruptcy, I never have to pay any debts again." (Not true — certain debts like recent taxes and student loans usually survive bankruptcy.)
Legal definition
A legal release or ending that frees someone from a duty, debt, job, or obligation. The exact meaning depends on the legal context — it could mean wiping out debts in bankruptcy, ending a job in employment law, releasing someone from military service, or completing duties in a contract.
Meanings by context
bankruptcy law: A bankruptcy court's official decision that wipes out certain debts so creditors can no longer try to collect them.
probate law: A judge's permission slip that says the person handling a deceased person's estate is done with their job.
employment law: Being fired or let go from a job.
military law: Being officially let out of military service, either because you finished your commitment or for other reasons.
Examples
Legal: The provisions of the Plan shall completely discharge all obligations to a Indemnitor.
Plain: The plan's terms fully release the Indemnitor from all responsibilities they had.
Legal: Reasonable Efforts to discharge in a timely manner the responsibilities set forth in this Agreement.
Plain: Make a good faith effort to complete these duties on time as described in this agreement.
Where you'll see it
- bankruptcy proceedings
- probate court filings
- employment contracts
- military service agreements
- contract performance
Related terms
- release
- termination
- fulfillment
- satisfaction
- dismissal
Word details
- Pronunciation
- DIS-charj
- Part of speech
- noun
- Origin
- Latin — from 'dis-' (away, off) + 'currere' (to run) — to run away from, release
- Domains
- bankruptcy law, probate law, employment law, contract law, military law
- Frequency
- common
- Formality
- moderate
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