Download Judicial Settlement Databases

This article discusses how tracking data from judicial settlement conferences can lead to greater success in settling cases and better case management. The authors illustrate the benefits of tracking this data and providing judges with settlement conference outcome reports (judge preparation prior to settlement conference, making settlement recommendations, providing a reality check or assurance of the propriety of a settlement to counsel) through examples from a court now using such reports. The authors also take the reader step by step through the process of how to create the report, discuss additional uses of maintaining a database to collect settlement information, and set forth basic information on developing a database.

Morton Denlow is a member of the RSI Board of Directors, and Jennifer Shack is a member of the RSI staff.