an action to recover a specific amount of money that the defendant owed the plaintiff. The action could apply to Contracts under seal and contracts not under seal, expressed or implied contracts, verbal or written contracts. Plaintiffs also used the action of Debt to collect other debts, such as for goods purchased, services rendered, rent, or the penalty on a bond. It was one of the most commonly used common law actions in antebellum Illinois. Debt differed from Assumpsit in the nature of the award possible. A plaintiff sued in an action of Debt to collect a “sum certain” or a specific amount. In the case of a Promissory Note, the plaintiff sued in an action of Debt to collect the amount of the note and interest. A plaintiff sued in an action of Assumpsit to collect damages, so the amount of the debt could be uncertain and determined by the court or the jury. In the case of a promissory note, the plaintiff sued in an action of Assumpsit to collect damages for the defendant’s failure to pay the debt. The award could include the value of the note, interest, and additional damages that the plaintiff sustained.