A Legal Settlement

A settlement is a contract that is one possible result when parties sue (or contemplate so doing) each other in civil courts, usually seeking money as reparations for the alleged wrongdoing of the defendants. The plaintiff(s) and defendant(s) identified in the lawsuit can agree to resolve the dispute between themselves without a trial. The resolution of the lawsuit sets forth the obligations of the parties, and is often made effective by an order of the court after a joint stipulation by the parties. In other situations (as where the claims have been satisfied by the payment of a certain sum of money) the plaintiff and defendant can simply file a notice that the case has been dismissed. (see Legal Kits)

The majority of cases are decided by a legal settlement. Both sides often have a strong incentive to settle to avoid the costs (such as legal fees, finding expert witnesses, etc.), associated with a trial, particularly where a trial by jury is available. Generally, one side or the other will make a settlement offer early in litigation. The parties may hold (and indeed, the court may require) a settlement conference, at which they attempt to reach such an agreement.

In controversial cases, a settlement agreement may require both sides to keep its contents and all other information relevant to the case confidential. Confidentiality is not possible in class action cases in the United States, where all settlements are subject to approval by the court pursuant to Rule 23 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure and counterpart rules adopted in most states.

In criminal matters, a settlement is referred to as a plea bargain.

Claim Settlements

While most claims are settled before they reach court, when a case is more involved it may require the use of an "attorney" or a "lawyer". In the case of insurance companies, they may be more inclined to settle a case out of court to save on costs. Depending on the case, a person may deal directly with the company in question to come to a reasonable financial settlement without using an "attorney".

Legal Settlement Best Sellers from Amazon.com

Divorce & Money: How to Make the Best Financial Decisions During Divorce
by Violet Woodhouse, Dale Fetherling
Amazon Price: $23.09
Customer Review: All the dueling reviews below would have you wonder about the quality of both "Divorce and Money" books, so as an experiment I got both. It's pretty clear that this book (Nolo's) is the better one, hands down. The difference was evident in just minut...

Building a Parenting Agreement That Works: How to Put Your Kids First When Yo...
by Mimi E. Lyster
Amazon Price: $16.49
Customer Review: This book gave us exactly what we needed and wanted when we realized that we had to sort out custody and parenting issues. We adapted the worksheets to our own situation and have created a parenting plan that we both agree on. What a blessing!

Divorce Rules For Men: A Man to Man Guide for Managing Your Split and Saving ...
by Martin M. Shenkman, Michael J. Hamilton
Amazon Price: $19.95
Customer Review: I found this book to be very helpful.

Divorce and Money: Everything You Need to Know
by Gayle Rosenwald Smith
Amazon Price: $10.17
Customer Review: ... both "Divorce & Money" books, that is, one by Smith and the other by Woodhouse. And I have to say, while this book DOES have a lower price, in this case you get what you pay for.

Thumbing through Smith's book, I found some helpful i...

Getting Divorced Without Ruining Your Life: A Reasoned, Practical Guide to th...
by Sam Margulies
Amazon Price: $10.17
Customer Review: My ex-wife liked this book a lot; not surprising ... the advice to women is "you're entitled to a lot of cash from this process". The advice to men? Just hand over your wallet ... there, now see how the conflicts over money just evaporate? No money? ...


Newsfeed display by CaRP

Legal Settlement News

• Residents Will Share 2M Of Superfund Settlement Billings Gazette
A group of residents who lived near a Superfund site in Lockwood will share more than 2 million after a class action lawsuit was settled this spring. Even though some legal wrangling continues, both sides agreed to a settlement of about 3.
• Settlement Gives Expolice Chief 50,000, Health Insurance Kingston Daily Freeman
SAUGERTIES The town will pay its former police chief 50,000 and provide him and his dependents with health insurance until he reaches the age of 65 as part of a settlement deal.
• Firefee Settlement Becomes Legal Jackpot Miami Herald
Anyone trying to figure out how much money attorneys in the city of Miami fire fee settlement case are entitled to receive wont find much help in the guideline offered by Model Rules of Professional Conduct of the American Bar Association: A lawyer shall not make an agreement for, charge or collect an unreasonable fee or an unreasonable amount for expenses.
• Ky. Lawyers Face New Trial In Dietdrug Settlement AP Via Yahoo News
Two lawyers accused of defrauding their clients in a diet drug settlement of 65 million were sent back to jail Thursday after a jury deadlocked and a federal judge declared a mistrial.
• Foley, Coronado Drop Request To Seal Settlement Agreement San Diego UnionTribune
Attorneys for Coronado and former Chargers linebacker Steve Foley have dropped a request to seal a settlement agreement in a lawsuit over the football players shooting by an off duty police officer.

IMPORTANT NOTICE: The information provided by FactsOfLaw.com does not constitute legal advice or any other type of advice and is provided for educational purposes only without warranty of any kind. FactsOfLaw.com has not reviewed the information on this page for accuracy and is not responsible for any errors, omissions or inaccuracies.  For legal advice you should consult a licensed attorney. Source: wikipedia.org