There are a few mechanisms that are used to settle court cases outside of court:nnMediation;nSettlement conferences;nAttorney’s exchanging settlement offers;nAnd more…nMediation is conducted with an independent third-party mediator. This may be the first and only opportunity that the parties have to be able to sit down and discuss the issues of the case and discuss how they would like it resolved. Through the mediation process, if people can settle these issues themselves, the outcome is better for everyone involved.nnSettlement conferences are when the attorneys and the clients come together to settle their differences. They go through the issues and try to settle them.nnSettlement offers are what attorneys exchange to settle the case outside of court. This could be an attorney meeting with their client, discussing and obtaining an understanding of what the client would like out of the divorce.nnThese items would get drafted up and exchanged to the other attorney as a settlement offer for that attorney to review with that attorney’s client. If the other party agrees with the settlement offer, then there would be no room for negotiation where the lawyer may counteroffer that settlement proposal or settlement offer.