A settlement agreement, in the context of divorce cases, is a negotiated settlement between two spouses regarding all matters pertaining to their divorce. In order to avoid the costs, publicity, and time involved with court proceedings, some couples elect to mediate their divorce through attorneys, which will eventually come to terms with a settlement agreement signed by both spouses, which will be submitted to the divorce courts. A judge then issues a divorce decree with the exact terms of the settlement agreement included, which then makes the terms of the agreement legally enforceable under civil laws and potentially charges of criminal contempt.