What happens if the court finds the failure to accept a Calderbank offer reasonable?

If the court finds the failure to accept a Calderbank offer reasonable, the appropriate outcome is that the parties must bear their own costs. A Calderbank offer is a form of settlement proposal made in civil proceedings. When a party makes such an offer, and the offer is not accepted, the court will consider whether the refusal to accept was reasonable.

If the court concludes that the refusal was reasonable, it indicates that it would have been unjust to penalize the party for not accepting the offer, as it may have been a reasonable decision based on the circumstances of the case. Consequently, each party will typically be required to bear their own costs, rather than imposing costs on one party or adjusting costs in favor of the party that issued the Calderbank offer. This ensures fairness when neither party is unduly penalized for the refusal to settle under the specific circumstances.