out-of-court settlement
Negotiated legal agreement
An out-of-court settlement is an agreement between disputing parties that resolves their legal conflict without a judge or jury deciding the outcome.
Parties typically negotiate terms—often including payment and confidentiality—to avoid the expense, uncertainty, and publicity of a trial: They reached an out-of-court settlement for an undisclosed sum.
Most civil lawsuits end this way.
- confidentiality agreementContract requiring secrecy
- hush moneyPayment to ensure secrecy
- behind closed doorsIn private, unobserved
- bargainingNegotiating mutually acceptable terms
- split the differenceAgree on midpoint amount
arbitration · mediation · compromise · shake hands · conciliation · concession · walk away · consensus-building · financial liability · sign on the dotted line · facilitation · contract law · tort law · civil procedure · compensation package · restorative justice · binding arbitration · conflict resolution
out-of-court settlementtrial
Judicial examination of claims
jury verdict · trial verdict · jury trial · judicial ruling · court judgment
out-of-court settlementjury verdict
Deliberating body's formal decision
court judgment · verdict · judicial ruling · court decision · judgment
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