darkknight109 posted... That is not even remotely close to true.
Settlements provide surety for both parties, which is why they're the preferred way to handle these disputes. Most cases never see the inside of a courtroom, because the parties will settle beforehand. That's not because one side or the other is doubtful about their chances in court, it's because they still have some control over the outcome there. Once you put a case in front of a judge or jury, you have no idea what's going to happen.
Keep in mind that this "settlement" was the single largest settlement whose amount is publicly known in US history (it's possible there may have been a larger one whose terms could not be disclosed, but that's unlikely), which suggests Fox knew they were sunk, else they would have more aggressively negotiated for a lower amount or taken their chances in court. And while it was only about half of what Dominion was asking for, that also doesn't really mean anything, because when you file a lawsuit you can ask for any amount you want - more than the amount of cash in circulation in the world, if you're so inclined. The amount of damages you claim has no relation to the actual damages you suffered or what you're likely to get, even if your case is successful, it's just a number you're putting on the forms to show how much you're asking for.
It is also fairly common for a smaller party to settle to avoid protracted legal battles. The fact that Dominion managed to get FOX to even somewhat admit wrongdoing as part of the settlement was fairly impressive, most settlements contain wording that the party doesn't admit to any wrongdoing.