What does it mean to have my bankruptcy case discharged?

When a case is discharged, it means that the court has released a debtor from the obligation to pay back their dischargeable debts (unless the debtor opted to retain a specific debt, such as a car and the associated payments). Dischargable debts are those that can be wiped away by bankruptcy. A discharge also orders creditors not to attempt to collect them from the debtor. A debt that is discharged is one that the debtor is released from and does not have to pay. For a chapter 7 case, it generally takes about 3 months from the day of filing to receive a discharge. For a chapter 13 case, it could take 3 to 5 years. However, a debtor could elect to receive a partial discharge if they do not wish to complete his or her plan. This would mean their case could be discharged in less time, but there would be more outstanding debts. Not all debts are dischargeable either.