Dominion Voting Systems is suing Fox News in a massive lawsuit, and a court in Delaware has now reportedly ordered that the case be tried in front of a jury.
This decision paves the way for what could be one of the most significant decisions regarding defamation brought against an American media company in recent years.
The attorneys for Fox and Dominion squared off in court during a two-day hearing for summary judgment the week before last.
During the hearing, each side unsuccessfully argued that the court should rule in their favor and forego a jury trial that is expected to last for weeks and could further bring to light internal discussions at the network following the 2020 election.
Dominion has filed a lawsuit against Fox in the amount of $1.6 billion, claiming that the network broadcast misleading information about the company’s software that led them to suffer major reputational and business damages.
These allegations were advanced by former President Trump’s advisers and allies following the election.
Dominion has proven the first elements of their defamation claim, and Delaware Superior Court Judge Eric Davis has ruled that Fox has proven the first element of their claim, which is that the network’s statements about Dominion and the 2020 election were false.
Fox’s attempt to have the suit dismissed before it goes to trial was denied by Delaware Superior Court Judge Eric Davis.
On the basis of the First Amendment, the attorneys for the network have defended the conservative cable news outlet, stating that the allegations made by Trump and his friends should be considered newsworthy and therefore able to be reported on and discussed at length.
The potential verdict in the case, which is being keenly followed by many observers, will almost certainly have significant repercussions for the future of Fox as well as for large media outlets in general.
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