offer of judgment
offer of judgment. A settlement offer by one party to allow a specified judgment to be taken against the party. • In federal procedure (and in many states), if the adverse party rejects the offer, and if a judgment finally obtained by that party is not more favorable than the offer, then that party must pay the costs incurred after the offer was made. Fed. R. Civ. P. 68. [Cases: Federal Civil Procedure 2725; Judgment 74. C.J.S. Judgments § 188.]