What is a proposal for settlement?

A proposal for settlement is a litigation tool utilized to put pressure on parties to settle lawsuits before trial. The authority for a proposal for settlement comes from Florida Statute Section 768.79 and Florida Rule of Civil Procedure 1.442. It involves awarding attorneys fees and costs to a prevailing party if the party to whom the proposal is served fails to timely accept it. Under the rule, a party to whom a proposal for settlement is served must accept the offer within thirty (30) days, otherwise it is deemed rejected by law.