Topline
A Delaware judge Sunday delayed the start of Dominion Voting Systems’ defamation trial against Fox News by a day amid reports that the network is seeking an out-of-court settlement in the case.
A person walks past the Fox News Headquarters at the News Corporation building in New York City.
Key Facts
On Sunday evening, Delaware Superior Court Judge Eric Davis announced the start of the trial “including jury selection” has been moved from Monday to Tuesday, without specifying a reason.
The delay announcement comes as the Wall Street Journal reported that Fox has “made a late push to settle the dispute out of court,” citing unnamed sources “familiar with the matter.”
In a filing made on Sunday, Fox cited a recent email from Dominion suggesting the voting machines maker will not present the jury with its claims for lost profits totaling $600 million, the Journal’s report added.
Unless both sides agree to an out-of-court settlement, the trial in the $1.6 billion defamation case will begin on Tuesday and is expected to include testimonies from some of the network’s top hosts, including Tucker Carlson and Sean Hannity, and Fox Corp. Chairman Rupert Murdoch.
Key Background
Dominion sued Fox News and its parent Fox Corp. for defamation in 2021, accusing the cable news network of pushing false claims about its electronic voting machines and election fraud. Dominion’s suit argues that Fox executives were aware that the claims they were airing were false, but chose to push them anyway in an effort to boost viewership and profits. Filings in the case, which include internal communications at the network, showed many Fox News anchors and executives were skeptical about the election fraud theories despite allowing it to air.
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/siladityaray/2023/04/17/fox-dominion-trial-delayed-as-network-reportedly-seeks-out-of-court-settlement/