Fox News reaches $787.5 million settlement in Dominion’s defamation lawsuit

WILMINGTON, Del. — Fox News agreed to pay $787.5 million to Dominion Voting Systems to settle a defamation lawsuit over false elections claims, Dominion’s lawyers said Tuesday.

The voting machine company accused the conservative network of deliberately spreading bogus conspiracy theories about its products after the 2020 election in a bid to win back viewers. Dominion’s lawsuit had asked for $1.6 billion in damages before the two sides reached a last-minute settlement after a jury had been selected and as the trial was about to begin.

Opening arguments in the high-profile case in Delaware Superior Court were scheduled to start around 1:30 p.m. But after over two hours of unexplained delay, Judge Eric Davis returned to stun a packed courtroom: “The parties have resolved their case,” he said.