Translation:Shulchan Aruch/Choshen Mishpat/132

Paragraph 1- If a slave or married woman cosigned or became kablanim for another and obligated themselves to pay, they would not be obligated to pay until the slave was freed or the woman was widowed or divorced. A minor who cosigns, however, would not be required to pay once he becomes an adult.

Paragraph 2-If a single woman cosigned for others and then married, she has the status of a woman who borrowed and then married, in which case if she cosigned orally she would not be required to pay until she was widowed or divorced and if she cosigned in writing the lender can collect from that which she brought into her marriage.

Paragraph 3- If two individuals cosigned for one borrower, when the lender comes to collect from the cosigner he can choose whichever one he wants. If one of them does not have enough to pay for the entire debt, the lender can collect the remainder from the other cosigner. There are those that disagree and say that if the lender is able to collect from both, he should not collect the entire debt from one. Rather, he should collect half from each one, unless one of them does not have enough, in which case he can collect the entire debt from the other. If the lender said he can collect from whichever one he wants, he can collect from whichever one he wants.

Paragraph 4- If one of the cosigners paid the entire debt to the lender and proved that he did with witnesses or with a letter from the lender stating he accepted the entire debt, he can go and make a claim against the other cosigner for his portion, even if he did not tell the other cosigner, “cosign for me and I will pay.”

Paragraph 5- If one person cosigned for two, when the lender collects he must notify him which one of the borrowers he is collecting from so that the cosigner can go collect from him.

Paragraph 6- If two individuals cosigned and the lender exempted one of them, there are those that say that the lender can claim the entire debt from the second cosigner. See above in Siman 77.