"has already been settled" is a perfectly valid phrase that can be used in written English.
For example, you could say: "The outcome of the dispute has already been settled, so it can't be changed now."
Now it's about finding out who shot the plane down, as most of the [other] stuff has already been settled".
The converse of that has already been settled by this court in the case of In re Coy, 127 U. S. 731, 8 Sup.
Otherwise a frozen embryo could be used decades later and be considered a descendant, eligible for a share of an estate that has already been settled.
One race has already been settled, however: the award for most ineptly launched new category goes to the Oscar for outstanding achievement in popular film.
But the decision to leave has already been settled by the British people". Did Labour's pledge to accept the referendum outcome make Jeremy Corbyn an architect of Brexit or a realist?
They face a winding-up order over that £400,000 but Ron Martin, the club's chairman, claims the matter has already been settled, with Sainsbury's providing the necessary funds via payments to his property company.
Certain aspects of the question have already been settled by the decisions of this court.
The final group in play Tuesday had already been settled, with Barcelona and A.C. Milan advancing.
Criminal charges involving BP have already been settled as have a variety of civil claims.
Economic issues had already been settled; the longshoremen are paid $18 an hour.
Several voting rights suits have already been settled in North Carolina by changing election boundaries.
