Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court Judge David Matia recently used a new technique to settle a lawsuit. The plaintiff in an automobile accident case demanded $3.7 million for permanent blindness in one eye, emotional distress and loss of enjoyment of life. The defendants refused to pay more than one million dollars. Judge Matia handed the parties sealed envelopes, containing papers with the amount "$2,050,000". If either side disapproved the amount, then they would go to trial. Both sides agreed to settle the case for $2,050,000. The lawyers said they had never encountered this type of settlement strategy. See Judge's Innovative Methods Lead to Settlement of Lawsuit by James F. McCarty, The Plain Dealer, May 17, 2007.
By Sue Altmeyer