Legal Question in Civil Litigation in California

Re: The meening of no settlement

The plaintiff brings a lawsuit and generally decides whether the matter will continue (ie: not settle) or be dismissed (with or without settlement). If the plaintiff indicates there is no settlement, the case is not closed. The judge could possibly dismiss the case on complicated technical issues. However, with the little facts you provide and not knowing the stage of the case, it appears the plaintiff has rejected a settlement offer and thus, the matter is still moving forward and still open. Feel free to contact me with more info for a more detailed answer. Good luck and thanks for your question.

Re: The meening of no settlement

Why would refusing to settle mean the end of the case? When a party refuses to settle, the case proceeds toward trial. There may still be opportunities for settlement before the trial begins (or even during or after trial), but no party can be forced to settle.