Overheard a guy at the courthouse say he settled for 60% of what he wanted

I was waiting for my small claims hearing in Sacramento last Thursday and this older gentleman was on the phone in the hallway. He kept saying he was tired of fighting and just took the offer from the other side's lawyer. He told someone it was 60 cents on the dollar and he felt dumb for not pushing harder. Made me think about how often we quit early just because we're worn out. I ended up settling my case too after one continuance. Has anyone else felt like the system pushes you to give up more than you should?

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taylor_miller102d ago

...and honestly, that 60 percent might be the system working as designed. The whole thing is set up to wear you down. One continuance, a few hearings, a stack of paperwork, and suddenly an offer that sounded insulting feels like a win. I've watched people fold for way less than that just to get their life back. Sometimes taking the deal is the smart play, even if it stings. But yeah, the courthouse is basically a marathon where most people show up for a sprint.