> Edit: Possible improvement would be to pay based on the distance between the award and settlement offers? That's how it works in Germany, basically (the so-c

> Edit: Possible improvement would be to pay based on the distance between the award and settlement offers? That's how it works in Germany, basically (the so-called "Baumbach'sche Formel"). You want $30k and get $30: you'll pay (30,000-30)/30,000 = 99.9% of court and attorney's fees. Also, the amount of attorney's fees that can be reimbursed is regulated and therefore capped at a reasonable amount. Finally, you may be required to make a deposit for the court fees beforehand.