Well regarding your perspective I think you've got a contradiction in the reasoning used: Unlike you state, they did involve the courts, at least initially. Settling out of court enabled a level of privacy which, as I was getting at, leaves the mechanics of agreement undisclosed (agreeing to not say anything). As outsiders sure that doesn't mean squat, but, in a larger view, some high profile disputes employ "trial in the court of public opinion" tactics. That seemed relevant in this particular instance, and when it goes unaddressed, it simply - again, as an outsider - leaves an odd impression to me.