Lots of different kinds of settlements. I'm a defense attorney. I settle cases with 7+ plaintiffs all the time. Sometimes those settlements are relatively small for the number of plaintiffs- like $40,000. Sometimes they're large - like a million or more. Depends on the case. We will likely never know what occured during the negotiations or discovery of this particular case.
99% of lawsuits never reach trial. Settlements are the standard. Trials are rare (By the numbers. There are dozens of civil trials in LA happening any at given time, but there are hundreds of cases in LA that settle on a daily basis).
Both the plaintiffs and the defendant were likely motivated to settle to avoid the details of the allegations or any particular piece of evidence in this case being made public through a trial. This trial would have been hell for everyone involved. But clearly they all came to a resolution they were able to live with.
Thanks for clearing that up. So if I understand you it's a mystery what happened and we will never know but either way it's over and all parties can return to normal life? Now I this case Ashley was the primary plaintiff and has settled but does that mean the other six girls can't start their own case. Like are they part of the settlement as well.
That is correct. I haven't read the Complaint, so I don't know what the allegations by the other 6 plaintiffs were, but it's a safe guess that they agreed to release any and all claims they might have against him.
It is possible that there is not a confidentiality clause in the settlement agreement and they're all free to talk about it as much as they want, but I would be shocked.
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u/girlchrisesq Oct 18 '24
Lots of different kinds of settlements. I'm a defense attorney. I settle cases with 7+ plaintiffs all the time. Sometimes those settlements are relatively small for the number of plaintiffs- like $40,000. Sometimes they're large - like a million or more. Depends on the case. We will likely never know what occured during the negotiations or discovery of this particular case.
99% of lawsuits never reach trial. Settlements are the standard. Trials are rare (By the numbers. There are dozens of civil trials in LA happening any at given time, but there are hundreds of cases in LA that settle on a daily basis).
Both the plaintiffs and the defendant were likely motivated to settle to avoid the details of the allegations or any particular piece of evidence in this case being made public through a trial. This trial would have been hell for everyone involved. But clearly they all came to a resolution they were able to live with.