Make a Written Settlement Agreement

If you talk things out with your opponent and come to an agreement, it's key to write down your agreement as soon as possible. Oral settlement agreements, especially between people who have little confidence in one another, are often not worth the breath used to express them. And writing down an agreement gives the parties a chance to see if they really have arrived at a complete understanding. You can find a settlement agreement form in Nolo's book 101 Law Forms for Personal Use or in the form kit, Settling Legal Disputes, available at www.nolo.com.