Settlements: Lawyer's Alleged Duress Doesn't Void Settlement Agreement With Defendant Who Didn't Know About Duress

“'Duress by a third person' is the legal label for this contract case."

       Plaintiff Laura Fettig entered into a settlement agreement, on the record, of her personal injury case. Later, she tried to set aside the settlement agreement, arguing she had only settled under duress caused by her attorney who threatened to abandon her case if she refused the settlement. Defendants did not know about the duress, and entered into the settlement in good faith. "But duress by a third person [i.e., by her lawyer] cannot void a contract when the other contracting party did not know about the duress and relied in good faith." Affirmed. "The court rightly refused to rescind the contract." Fettig v. Hilton Garden Inns Management LLC, No. 307348 (2/8  5/4/22) (Wiley, Grimes, Harutunian).