As of July 16, 2026, Fox’s $2.7 billion defamation lawsuit from Smartmatic remains in pre-trial proceedings, with no trial date set. The last confirmed court action came on May 8, 2026, when a New York appellate court issued a split ruling: it granted Fox limited additional discovery into how a federal bribery indictment against Smartmatic executives affected the company’s business, but rejected Fox’s bid to pause the case or vacate the trial-ready note of issue. That followed summary judgment arguments heard December 2, 2025, which are still pending decision. The case remains on track toward trial in Manhattan, though no new hearing date has been publicly scheduled since.
Last updated: July 2026
The Fox lawsuit story is one of the most significant media legal battles in American history. Fox News has already paid $787.5 million to settle a defamation case with Dominion Voting Systems and now faces a $2.7 billion lawsuit from Smartmatic that is headed toward trial in 2026.
That’s not all. The Murdoch family and Fox Corp.’s board of directors are also being sued by their own shareholders for allegedly breaching their fiduciary duty.
This guide covers every active case, what the evidence shows, who’s suing and why, and what the outcomes could mean for one of America’s most watched news networks.
One fact that puts it in perspective: the Dominion settlement is the largest known media defamation settlement in U.S. history.
What Is the Fox News Defamation Lawsuit?
The Fox News defamation lawsuit refers to multiple legal actions stemming from election fraud claims the network aired after the 2020 presidential election. The central allegation across all cases is that Fox News broadcast statements it knew were false, damaging companies and people it named.
The core allegation is that Fox broadcast false statements that Dominion and Smartmatic’s voting machines had rigged the 2020 election against then-President Donald Trump.
Two separate voting technology companies sued Fox. Dominion Voting Systems settled in 2023. Smartmatic’s case is still active and heading toward trial.
Think of it like a newspaper printing a story it knew was wrong. Not a mistake. Not an honest error. Knowingly false, according to the plaintiffs.
| Case | Plaintiff | Amount Sought | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dominion v. Fox | Dominion Voting Systems | $1.6 billion | Settled for $787.5M (2023) |
| Smartmatic v. Fox | Smartmatic | $2.7 billion | Active, heading to trial |
| Shareholder derivative | Fox Corp. shareholders | Unspecified | Active in Delaware courts |
How Much Did Fox Pay Dominion?
Fox News settled with Dominion Voting Systems for $787,500,000, which was roughly half of Dominion’s original $1.6 billion ask.
The settlement was reached on April 18, 2023, moments before opening arguments were scheduled to begin. The jury had already been seated. Reporters and lawyers had been waiting in the courtroom for hours.
The settlement amount made headlines as one of the most significant defamation payouts in history, drawing comparisons to the Alex Jones case where a jury ordered him to pay $965 million to Sandy Hook families.
Fox’s $787.5 million payment represented roughly half of Fox Corp.’s net income for 2022. The company absorbed it without selling assets, given its cash reserves exceeding $4 billion at the time.
Key Takeaway: Fox News paid $787.5 million to Dominion Voting Systems in April 2023, the largest known media defamation settlement in American history, reached on the first day of trial.
Did Fox News Admit It Lied in the Dominion Settlement?
Fox did not issue a formal apology, but the settlement included an acknowledgment that carries real legal weight. Fox’s statement recognized the court’s previous ruling that the claims Dominion had challenged in the defamation lawsuit were “without merit,” and the network acknowledged the court’s findings that certain claims about Dominion were false.
That is a significant concession. Legally, it stops short of an admission of intentional wrongdoing. But it confirms that the statements were false.
Internal communications released during pre-trial discovery revealed that Fox’s executives and hosts knew the information they broadcast was false but continued to air it in order to drive viewership and profit.
For Dominion, partial accountability was the best realistic outcome. Dominion may have decided that it had already achieved one major goal, getting both the court and Fox to agree that the disputed statements were not true.
What Is the Fox News Smartmatic Lawsuit?
The Smartmatic lawsuit is a $2.7 billion defamation case currently active in New York State Supreme Court. It is bigger than the Dominion case and based on very similar facts.
Smartmatic’s complaint alleges that Fox broadcast 13 reports in November and December 2020 in which it stated or implied that Smartmatic’s software caused Trump to lose the election.
Unlike Dominion, whose voting machines were used in two dozen states, Smartmatic says its technology was used only in Los Angeles County during the 2020 election. That narrow footprint makes Smartmatic’s damages claim harder to prove, but the network’s alleged conduct was essentially identical.
The key hosts named as defendants include Maria Bartiromo, the late Lou Dobbs, and Jeanine Pirro. Rudy Giuliani and Sidney Powell are also named as co-defendants.
- Filed: February 2021 in New York County Supreme Court
- Case number: 151136/21
- Presiding judge: Justice David B. Cohen (New York State Supreme Court)
- Smartmatic’s lead attorney: J. Erik Connolly, Benesch Friedlander Coplan & Aronoff LLP
Smartmatic Lawsuit Update 2026
A New York appellate court in January 2025 rejected Fox’s attempt to dismiss the $2.7 billion lawsuit, confirming Smartmatic’s defamation claims can proceed. That ruling was a major setback for Fox’s legal strategy.
Both Fox and Smartmatic have asked the New York judge presiding over the case to end the lawsuit without going to a jury through summary judgment motions. Those motions are still pending. If there is no settlement, the case could head to trial by 2026.
There is a new wrinkle in early 2026. Fox Corp. filed a discovery petition seeking details on LinkedIn founder Reid Hoffman’s $25 million funding of Smartmatic’s lawsuit, attempting to depose Hoffman, which would make him the first litigation funder to sit for a deposition ahead of a trial he funded.
Fox’s strategy appears to be delay, discovery battles, and pressuring Smartmatic financially before any trial begins.
Key Takeaway: As of early 2026, Fox’s motion to dismiss the Smartmatic case has failed, summary judgment arguments have been heard, and the case is tracking toward a trial date unless settlement talks accelerate.
What Fox News Hosts Said Privately About Election Claims
The private communications evidence is the most damaging aspect of both lawsuits. What Fox personalities texted and emailed behind closed doors directly contradicts what they said on air.
Fox’s Sean Hannity said in a deposition that he did not believe the election fraud claims “for one second” but wanted to give accusers the chance to produce evidence.
Fox anchor Jesse Watters texted a colleague, asking how incredible their ratings would be if Fox went “all in” on Stop the Steal. Watters later testified under oath that he had seen no evidence that Smartmatic switched votes in the 2020 election.
In the Smartmatic filings, Fox anchor Jeanine Pirro allegedly texted about “helping Trump while at Fox News” in November 2020.
These revelations cut to the heart of the legal standard Fox must defeat: actual malice.
- Tucker Carlson privately stated he “passionately hated” Trump, per deposition evidence.
- Rupert Murdoch testified under oath: “The election was not stolen.”
- Fox fact-checkers flagged the false claims internally; the broadcasts continued anyway.
What Is “Actual Malice” and Why Does It Matter in the Fox Lawsuit?
Actual malice is the legal standard that determines whether a news organization can be held liable for defamation. It is why these cases are so hard to win and why Fox’s private communications are so critical.
Under a 1964 U.S. Supreme Court ruling, public figures suing for defamation must prove the outlet either knew the statements were false or acted with “reckless disregard” for whether they were true or not. That is actual malice.
Dominion’s legal team argued Fox’s conduct so obviously met the actual malice standard that one attorney remarked he was not sure he would ever see that type of evidence again.
Fox’s defense is that its hosts were reporting on newsworthy claims made by a sitting president and his lawyers, not endorsing them. The First Amendment, Fox argues, protects that kind of coverage.
The gap between those two positions is where billions of dollars hang in the balance.
Fox News Shareholder Derivative Lawsuit
Beyond the voting technology companies, Fox Corp.’s own shareholders are suing the company’s leadership. This is a separate legal action targeting the people who run Fox, not just the network itself.
A Fox Corp. shareholder sued Rupert Murdoch, Lachlan Murdoch, and several board members in Delaware, arguing they violated their fiduciary duty to the company when they allowed Fox News to broadcast election conspiracy theories.
The plaintiffs contend that Fox’s senior officers, including Rupert and Lachlan Murdoch and the board of directors, decided to violate the law by having Fox News defame Dominion and Smartmatic, and that stockholders seek to shift the company’s losses onto the individuals who caused the harm.
The New York City pension funds and the State of Oregon’s retirement fund were appointed to lead the shareholder derivative litigation in December 2023, bringing significant institutional weight to the case.
Key Takeaway: Fox Corp.’s own shareholders, including major public pension funds from New York City and Oregon, are suing Rupert and Lachlan Murdoch directly for breach of fiduciary duty in allowing the election fraud broadcasts.
Reid Hoffman Funding the Smartmatic Lawsuit
The litigation funding angle adds a new dimension to the Smartmatic case. It is unusual and legally contested territory.
LinkedIn founder Reid Hoffman revealed he funded Smartmatic’s defamation case against Fox to the tune of $25 million, making him the only publicly identified litigation funder in this case.
Fox has seized on this. Fox Corp. filed a discovery petition seeking details on the source, amount, and terms of any litigation-funding agreement, arguing the information may support its anti-SLAPP counterclaim.
The attempt to depose Hoffman is unprecedented. Legal experts note it is highly unusual for a litigation funder to even be identified publicly in a case, let alone required to testify. The result of that dispute could shape litigation funding rules far beyond this one case.
Smartmatic’s Indictment and Fox’s Defense Strategy
Fox has a new weapon in its defense: a federal criminal indictment against Smartmatic’s parent company. This is a significant and unusual development.
Federal prosecutors charged Smartmatic’s parent company, SGO Corporation Limited, in an October 2025 superseding indictment for allegedly conspiring to bribe a Philippine government official with more than $1 million in exchange for over $180 million in election contracts related to that nation’s 2016 elections.
Fox immediately tried to use this to pause the defamation case. The judge refused. New York State Supreme Court Justice David B. Cohen denied Fox’s motion to stay the $2.7 billion case, ruling there was no good cause and that a stay would cause undue delay.
Fox argues Smartmatic’s claimed damages of $2.7 billion rest on a reputation that was already compromised. Smartmatic argues the bribery charges are irrelevant to what Fox broadcast about the 2020 U.S. election.
Who Were the Key Figures in the Fox News Lawsuits?
The Fox lawsuits involved some of the most prominent names in American media and politics. Here is a clear breakdown of who played what role.
| Name | Role | Key Fact |
|---|---|---|
| Rupert Murdoch | Fox Corp. Chairman | Testified under oath the 2020 election was not stolen |
| Lachlan Murdoch | Fox Corp. CEO | Named in shareholder derivative suit |
| Tucker Carlson | Former host | Privately texted he “passionately hated” Trump; fired April 2023 |
| Sean Hannity | Host | Testified he didn’t believe fraud claims “for one second” |
| Maria Bartiromo | Host | Named defendant in Smartmatic case |
| Lou Dobbs | Former host | Show canceled the day after Smartmatic sued; died July 2024 |
| Jeanine Pirro | Host | Named in Smartmatic case; texted about “helping Trump” |
| Jesse Watters | Host | Texted about going “all in” on Stop the Steal for ratings |
| Justin Nelson | Dominion’s lead attorney | Said “lies have consequences” after settlement |
| J. Erik Connolly | Smartmatic’s lead attorney | Argued Fox has no evidence to support any Smartmatic allegation |
| Reid Hoffman | Litigation funder | Invested $25M to fund Smartmatic’s case against Fox |
Fox News Lawsuit Timeline
Understanding the sequence of events helps put the current legal situation in clear context.
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| November to December 2020 | Fox airs 13-plus segments alleging Dominion and Smartmatic rigged the election |
| February 2021 | Smartmatic sues Fox for $2.7 billion |
| March 2021 | Dominion sues Fox for $1.6 billion |
| December 2021 | Judge denies Fox’s motion to dismiss Dominion case |
| March 2023 | Judge rules Dominion’s defamation claims are proven; only “actual malice” question remains for jury |
| April 18, 2023 | Fox settles Dominion case for $787.5 million on the first day of trial |
| April 24, 2023 | Tucker Carlson fired from Fox |
| April 2023 | Shareholder derivative lawsuit filed against Murdochs and board |
| December 2023 | NYC pension funds and Oregon appointed to lead shareholder suit |
| January 2025 | New York appellate court rejects Fox’s motion to dismiss Smartmatic case |
| October 2025 | Smartmatic parent company indicted on foreign bribery charges |
| November to December 2025 | Summary judgment arguments heard in Smartmatic case |
| January 2026 | Fox files petition to depose Reid Hoffman over litigation funding |
| 2026 (pending) | Trial date possible if summary judgment motions are denied |
Key Takeaway: The Fox lawsuits have been unfolding for five years, with one $787.5 million settlement already paid and the larger $2.7 billion Smartmatic case reaching its most critical phase in 2026.
Will Fox News Settle Smartmatic or Go to Trial?
Based on Fox’s track record, most legal observers lean toward an eventual settlement. But the variables in the Smartmatic case are different from the Dominion case.
Fox has a record of playing hardball but ultimately settling cases close to trial, as it did in the Dominion case, where the settlement came on the morning that opening arguments were about to begin.
But there are reasons this case might go to trial. Smartmatic’s federal indictment gives Fox a defense argument it didn’t have in the Dominion case. Fox’s legal team believes it can use the bribery charges to attack Smartmatic’s claimed damages figure of $2.7 billion.
Fox has stated it will be ready to defend the case surrounding extremely newsworthy events when it goes to trial, and argued that Smartmatic’s damages claims are implausible and disconnected from reality.
For Smartmatic’s part, the attorney’s position is clear: Fox will do anything to avoid a decision on the merits, as illustrated by its settlement of Dominion on the courthouse steps.
What the Fox Lawsuits Mean for Press Freedom
The Fox lawsuits are not just about one company. They raise fundamental questions about media accountability and the limits of the First Amendment.
The settlement avoided a trial that could have shed additional light on Trump’s election lies, revealed more about how the right-leaning network operates, and even redefined libel law in the United States.
Some First Amendment scholars worry the cases could make news organizations overly cautious about covering unverified claims from public figures. Others argue the internal communications evidence demonstrates that the “newsworthy claims” defense cannot protect deliberate falsehoods.
The real tension is between two genuine values: a free press that can report on contested claims without fear, and accountability for networks that knowingly broadcast falsehoods for profit.
Where courts ultimately draw that line will define media law for a generation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Fox News defamation lawsuit about?
The Fox News defamation lawsuits allege the network deliberately broadcast false claims that voting technology companies Dominion and Smartmatic rigged the 2020 presidential election against Donald Trump.
Internal communications showed Fox’s own hosts and executives privately knew the claims were false.
Fox argues it was reporting newsworthy statements made by a sitting president and his lawyers, protected under the First Amendment.
How much did Fox News pay in the Dominion settlement?
Fox News settled with Dominion Voting Systems for $787,500,000, roughly half of Dominion’s original $1.6 billion claim.
The settlement was announced on April 18, 2023, moments before opening arguments were set to begin.
It is the largest known media defamation settlement in U.S. history.
Did Fox News admit it lied in the Dominion case?
Fox did not formally apologize but acknowledged the court’s finding that certain claims about Dominion were false.
Fox’s statement said: “We acknowledge the Court’s rulings finding certain claims about Dominion to be false.”
The settlement did not require Fox to retract its coverage or issue a public apology on air.
What is the Smartmatic lawsuit against Fox News?
Smartmatic sued Fox News in February 2021, seeking $2.7 billion in damages for broadcasting false claims that Smartmatic’s software rigged the 2020 election.
The case is being heard in New York State Supreme Court before Justice David B. Cohen.
As of early 2026, summary judgment motions have been argued and a trial date is possible if those motions are denied.
Can Fox News be forced to pay $2.7 billion to Smartmatic?
Fox faces that exposure if Smartmatic wins at trial and proves actual malice, but the actual outcome depends on what the jury or judge finds on damages.
Fox argues Smartmatic’s $2.7 billion figure is implausible and that the company’s own criminal indictment undermines its claimed damages.
Smartmatic’s attorney argues that 28 of Fox’s own fact witnesses admitted they had no evidence to support the allegations Fox made about the company.
The Fox lawsuit saga is far from over. Smartmatic’s $2.7 billion case is the largest remaining threat, and the shareholder derivative suit means the Murdoch family’s personal accountability is still being tested in Delaware courts.
If you’ve been following this story, keep an eye on two things in 2026: the judge’s ruling on summary judgment in the Smartmatic case, and whether Fox repeats its pattern of settling on the courthouse steps.
The money is enormous. The legal precedent is larger.
