Company officials said they agreed to a settlement because of rising litigation costs.

Defendants can set up an account to pay for litigation costs and legal expenses.

When a company loses a case, it can expect to pay at least $20 million in damages and litigation costs, he said.

This increases litigation costs and undermines the rule of law.

A spokeswoman for Target said last night that the company had settled the case to avoid litigation costs.

It set aside $81 million to cover possible litigation costs.

For example, in the software industry, litigation costs are twice the investment value.

That was the only alternative to being strangled in litigation costs.

"Making that information widely known could have the effect of driving up litigation costs," she said.

In the past seven years, municipal litigation costs have more than doubled, and the number continues to rise.