The court refused to enforce a valid settlement agreement due to the post-settlement discovery of severe structural defects.
The plaintiff sought to enforce a settlement agreement reached at a pretrial conference, moving for judgment under Rule 49.09(a).
The court granted leave to bring the motion and found that a valid settlement agreement had been reached.
However, the court exercised its discretion under Rule 49.09(a) to refuse enforcement of the settlement, finding that it would lead to a clear injustice due to the recent discovery of serious structural deficiencies in the defendants' home, which were unknown at the time of the purported settlement.
SCJSuperior Court of JusticeJun 22, 2023