It was 1973 in the Chicago court room of a U.S. District Court judge (later Judge of the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals.) 10 am status calls. Federal judges hear all kinds of civil and criminal cases involving federal statutes and regulations. The bailiff called a case and a woman appeared pro se in her case against the federal government.
The judge perused the file and then asked her "If you win this case, how much will you receive as damages?" I think she said 10 dollars. The rest of the court room began to wake up. (it cost more than that to file the suit.)
Then the judge reached under his robe and pulled out his wallet. He offered her a $10 bill if she would settle and get the case off of his docket. She refused saying it was the principle of the thing. (It could have been an important principle, but it wasn't a class action suit.) The judge set the next status date and I think the government attorney received a silent hint that the Judge did not want to see the case again.