Kwijting

Kwijting is a legal term used in Dutch civil practice to denote a formal discharge from liability or a release of a debt. In essence, it is a document or declaration in which the creditor acknowledges that the debtor’s obligation has been satisfied, or, conversely, that the creditor releases the debtor from further claims related to the stated obligation. The term is commonly translated into English as quittance or discharge, and it functions as evidence that the specified debt or duty is extinguished.

The clave of kwijting is its effect: once issued, the debtor is ordinarily released from further performance or payment under the released obligation, and the creditor cannot later demand fulfillment based on that exact claim, unless the kwijting states otherwise. Kwijting can be issued upon payment, as part of a settlement agreement, or in other transactions where parties agree to terminate or settle liability. The document may be simple or formal, and in many cases a notary or court may prepare and authenticate it, especially in larger transactions or contentious matters.

Contexts in which kwijting appears include loans, settlements of disputes, estate and inheritance dealings, and commercial transactions. It is important that the scope of the release be clearly defined in the kwijting to prevent ambiguity about which claims are extinguished and under what conditions. In international or cross-border matters, kwijting is often described using translations like quittance or discharge, with care taken to align it with applicable national law and the specifics of the agreement.