Where in the courthouse are structured settlements listed at.?
Posted by MarkApr 8
I am trying to look into some structured settlements and did not know where to look in the local courthouses. I figured they are in the local courthouses in the section where deed and liens and things like that but did not know where to look. Any help would be great. Thanks
a structured settlement is a contract between 2 private parties and is not usually subject to public inspection or disclosure. If a lawsuit ends in a settlement, the public record of the case will show that the case was settled, but it will not show what the terms of the settlement are, ie how much is one party paying the other party.
a possible exception to this rule is lawsuits involving children—in my state, at least, if a child (through their guardian) is a party to a lawsuit, and the suit is settled, a judge has to approve the settlement terms. In that case, the settlement terms, and the structure (if there is one) is public information.
having said all that, courts don’t just keep a file of structured settlements for the public to look at—each case has its own file and you would need to request a particular case by name to see any public documents connected with that case.