It’s 8 p.m. and you’ve just spent nine straight hours negotiating the settlement of complex commercial litigation with multiple parties that was filed before George Bush first took office. The case has been up on appeal twice and is now scheudled for trial in February. All defendants but the final three standing have settled. Three of the principals have flown in from out of state and two of the attorneys have driven a few hundred miles to Los Angeles from their home towns.
“Let’s just write up the deal points,” says Lawyer No. 1, yawning. “We can write up the full agreement over the long weekend.”
Lawyer No. 2 turns to me and says “Judicate West has a form, right? Let’s use that.”
Before we go further, let me give you the complete, verbatim language of the online skeletal Judicate West form.
Date:_________________
Stipulation for Settlement
VS.
IT IS HEREBY STIPULATED by and between the parties through the respective counsel or representative of each that the above-referenced case has been settled according to the terms memorialized herein below. This document is binding on the parties and is admissible in court pursuant to Evidence code section 1123 and enforceable by motion of any party hereto pursuant to CCP section 664.6.
In order to facilitate the above specified terms of settlement, the parties further agree that on or before the day of they will execute or change the following:
Settlement / Release Agreement Prepared by _____plaintiff_____defendant
Request for Dismissal Prepared by _____plaintiff_____defendant
Other____________________________________________________________
All relevant parties must sign below. Copies are acceptable in lieu of originals.
I know. You didn’t expect the case to settle. At least that’s what I’ve been hearing you all tell me since hour one of the mediation. But now we’re in hour nine and the basic deal points have been reached. It’s January 15. Trial is in 30 days. You have all the parties present and the mediator who has by now sussed out the BS; developed a good working relationship with all sides of the dispute; knows how hard the parties worked to get here; and, is unlikely to let the “devil” in the details sink the settlement ship.
What do you do?
My own answers in next post.
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