1.   Although USDA lawyers declined to discuss details of settlement negotiations in court, spokesman John Sparks said the department has submitted an offer that seems appealing to farmers .

2.   Anything that smacks of a slap on the wrist, GM officials say, will only harden their position in any settlement negotiations.

3.   At that point, the entrepreneur had to get a lawyer and enter extremely expensive settlement negotiations.

4.   Attorneys for both sides are prohibited from publicly talking about the settlement negotiations, which began in mid-April.

5.   Blumenthal dismissed speculation that upcoming tobacco trials might be delayed pending settlement negotiations.

6.   Both Microsoft and the Justice Department have kept a tight lid on their settlement negotiations before Posner.

7.   A company can argue that the information is misleading or inaccurate, would reveal settlement negotiations, or would expose trade secrets.

8.   A month later, the department began meeting with representatives of the firms, laying out its case and beginning settlement negotiations.

9.   A spokesman for Rhone-Poulenc declined comment on the settlement negotiations.

10.   A U.S. district judge ordered the lawyers for Microsoft and the government Friday to begin a new round of intensive settlement negotiations.