20. Commitments and Contingencies Other Contingencies Regulatory and Litigation Matters We are involved in various pending or threatened legal or regulatory proceedings, including purported class actions, arising from the conduct of business both in the ordinary course and otherwise. Modern pleading practice in the U.S. permits considerable variation in the assertion of monetary damages or other relief. Jurisdictions may permit claimants not to specify the monetary damages sought or may permit claimants to state only that the amount sought is sufficient to invoke the jurisdiction of the trial court. In addition, jurisdictions may permit plaintiffs to allege monetary damages in amounts well exceeding reasonably possible verdicts in the jurisdiction for similar matters. This variability in pleadings, together with our actual experiences in litigating or resolving through settlement numerous claims over an extended period of time, demonstrates to us that the monetary relief which may be specified in a lawsuit or claim bears little relevance to its merits or disposition value. Due to the unpredictable nature of litigation, the outcome of a litigation matter and the amount or range of potential loss at particular points in time is normally difficult to ascertain. Uncertainties can include how fact finders will evaluate documentary evidence and the credibility and effectiveness of witness testimony, and how trial and appellate courts will apply the law in the context of the pleadings or evidence presented, whether by motion practice, or at trial or on appeal. Disposition valuations are also subject to the uncertainty of how opposing parties and their counsel will themselves view the relevant evidence and applicable law. On January 7, 2019, three purported shareholder class action lawsuits pending in the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey were consolidated under the caption,  In re Campbell Soup Company Securities Litigation , Civ. No. 1:18-cv-14385-NLH-JS (the Action). Oklahoma Firefighters Pension and Retirement System was appointed lead plaintiff in the Action and, on March 1, 2019, filed an amended consolidated complaint. The company, Denise Morrison (the company's former President and Chief Executive Officer), and Anthony DiSilvestro (the company's former Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer) are defendants in the Action. The consolidated complaint alleges that, in public statements between July 19, 2017 and May 17, 2018, the defendants made materially false and misleading statements and/or omitted material information about the company's business, operations, customer relationships, and prospects, specifically with regard to the Campbell Fresh segment. The consolidated complaint seeks unspecified monetary damages and other relief. On April 30, 2019, the defendants filed a motion to dismiss the consolidated complaint. We are vigorously defending against the Action. We establish liabilities for litigation and regulatory loss contingencies when information related to the loss contingencies shows both that it is probable that a loss has been incurred and the amount of the loss can be reasonably estimated. It is possible that some matters could require us to pay damages or make other expenditures or establish accruals in amounts that could not be reasonably estimated as of August 2, 2020. While the potential future charges could be material in a particular quarter or annual period, based on information currently known by us, we do not believe any such charges are likely to have a material adverse effect on our consolidated results of operations or financial condition. In the third quarter of 2018, we recorded expense of $22 from a settlement of a claim. We guarantee approximately 2,100 bank loans made to Pepperidge Farm independent contractor distributors by third-party financial institutions for the purchase of distribution routes. The maximum potential amount of the future payments under existing guarantees we could be required to make is $246. We guarantee approximately 2,500 bank loans made to Snyder's-Lance independent contractor distributors by third-party financial institutions for the purchase of distribution routes. The maximum potential amount of the future payments under existing guarantees we could be required to make is $199. Our guarantees are indirectly secured by the distribution routes. We do not expect that we will be required to make material guarantee payments as a result of defaults on the bank loans guaranteed. The amounts recognized as of August 2, 2020, and July 28, 2019, were not material. We have provided certain standard indemnifications in connection with divestitures, contracts and other transactions. Certain indemnifications have finite expiration dates. Liabilities recognized based on known exposures related to such matters were not material at August 2, 2020, and July 28, 2019. 80