April 18, 2023 /Business/ — Dominion Voting Systems filed a $1.6 billion defamation lawsuit against Fox Corporation and its Fox News Channel on March 26, 2021, alleging that the network defamed the company by repeatedly making false and defamatory claims about its voting machines in the aftermath of the 2020 presidential election.
The lawsuit alleged that Fox News hosts and guests, including former President Donald Trump, made false and defamatory claims about Dominion’s voting machines, including that they were “rigged” and “susceptible to hacking.” The lawsuit also alleged that Fox News’s coverage of Dominion’s voting machines was “reckless and false” and that it caused Dominion to suffer “severe and irreparable harm.”
Fox News has denied the allegations in the lawsuit and has said that it will vigorously defend itself. The case is currently scheduled to go to trial in Delaware in July 2023.
Here is a timeline of key events leading up to the trial:
- March 26, 2021: Dominion Voting Systems files a $1.6 billion defamation lawsuit against Fox Corporation and its Fox News Channel.
- June 2021: Fox News files a motion to dismiss the lawsuit, arguing that Dominion’s claims are not supported by the evidence.
- August 2021: A Delaware judge denies Fox News’s motion to dismiss the lawsuit, allowing it to proceed to trial.
- January 2023: Fox News files a motion for summary judgment, arguing that Dominion cannot prove that it was defamed by Fox News.
- March 2023: A Delaware judge denies Fox News’s motion for summary judgment, allowing the case to go to trial.
- July 2023: The trial is scheduled to begin in Delaware.
The outcome of the trial is uncertain, but it could have a significant impact on the future of media freedom in the United States. If Dominion is successful in its lawsuit, it could set a precedent that makes it more difficult for media outlets to make false and defamatory claims about companies and individuals.