South Dakota Supreme Court August 18, 2004, None (First Premier Bank v. Kolcraft Enterprises, Inc.)

KONENKAMP, Justice.

[¶ 1.] Litigants are ordinarily prohibited from disclosing to a jury a prior settlement “to prove liability for or invalidity of the claim or its amount.” This prohibition, embodied in our rules of evidence, avoids prejudice to all parties and promotes settlements. Here, defense counsel broached the fact of an earlier settlement made on plaintiffs behalf.