A Settlement Conference is an opportunity for both parties and their attorneys to meet with a judge to discuss any issues of a case in dispute. In Thurston County, all parties are required to participate in a Settlement Conference before they receive a trial date. At the Settlement Conference, the judge does not make any decisions. The judge tries to help the parties reach an agreement and avoid a trial. Some judges make specific recommendations.

Settlement Conference Statement Form: Word Version, PDF Version

Settlement Conferences are most productive if:

• The parties come to the conference ready to problem solve.

• The parties exchange Settlement Conference Statements far enough in advance of the conference so there is time to think about the other person’s requests. Rules about Settlement Conferences are found in LSPR 94.

• The parties discuss the issues before the conference.

• The parties know the values of their property. In the case of some assets such as real estate, there may be a need for an appraisal. Bluebook information assists in valuing automobiles. It is a good idea to bring documents showing values to the conference.

• The parties know the amount owing on their bills. It is a good idea to bring billing statements to the conference.

• If there are children, the parties should approach the parenting plan with their children’s best interests in mind.

If a settlement is reached, the terms of the settlement are orally put on the Court record and each party is required to follow the agreement. The final papers are prepared later and signed by the judge. To speed the presentation process, self-represented parties are encouraged to bring their proposed final documents to the settlement conference.

If a settlement is not reached, at the end of the conference Court Administration will schedule a trial. The trial judge will not be the judge who conducted the Settlement Conference. Trials are generally about two to three months later.