Absurdly high demands signal that a litigant wants trial, not settlement.

Evidence

Cheeseman and his partners took notes on legal pads as Gordon spoke. Facher examined the pen provided courtesy of the Four Seasons, but he did not write anything on his pad. Facher studied the gilt inscription on the pen. It looked like a good-quality pen. These figures, he thought, were preposterous. They meant that Schlichtmann did not want to settle the case, or else he was crazy. Maybe Schlichtmann simply wanted to go to trial. This opulent setting, and Schlichtmann sitting at the table flanked by his disciples like a Last Supper scene, annoyed Facher. Where was Schlichtmann getting the money for all this? — , Harr Jonathan - A Civil Action, 1596

Categorization

• DEEPTHINKING: The whole negotiation turns on reading a number as a message about intent rather than value — game theory dressed as arrogance.
• XREF: connects to: A settlement demand can serve as a declaration of war, not an offer. — , Harr Jonathan - A Civil Action , 1595

Broader Connections

• A settlement demand can serve as a declaration of war, not an offer. #corroborates (0.95) — , Harr Jonathan - A Civil Action, 1595