Judge signals plan to appoint special master in Fox News-Dominion case

In heated exchanges with Fox lawyers on Wednesday, Judge Eric Davis of the Delaware superior court vented deep frustration about how Fox News and its parent company Fox Corporation had conducted themselves. The defamation suit is set to go to trial next week in what promises to be one of the most closely watched and consequential media court battles in recent times.

Fox is defending its broadcasting by saying it was covering newsworthy comments from a sitting US president and his close advisers that could not be ignored.

A leading Dominion lawyer, Justin Nelson, complained to the court on Wednesday that Fox had been less than fully cooperative during the discovery process. He said that only recently had the firm divulged that Murdoch was not only executive chairman of Fox Corp but also the executive chair of Fox News.