Jury Picked in Dominion vs Fox News Defamation Lawsuit; The opening talks will begin later today

At the Dominion vs. Fox News trial, which ultimately begins the “defamation trial of the century,” with the prospect of the network’s star anchors and Rupert Murdoch himself taking the stand.

The 200 seats in Courtroom 7E at the Leonard Williams Justice Center in Wilmington are nearly full, mostly from a swarm of reporters from around the country. Judge Eric Davis ordered the members to be sworn in around 10:45 a.m. ET.

The jury consists of six men and six women. Seven judges are black and five are white or Hispanic. In addition, 12 delegates were elected, although one immediately apologized.

The 12 jurors were identified only by number in open court, out of concern that their names would be revealed in such a high-profile case. The judge noted that this may be the first time for a civil trial.

The questioning of potential jurors also took place behind closed doors, again out of concern about revealing identities, and left it unclear why some were thrown out of the pool and others were not.

What took place openly was the trial, where either side could push the jury off the panel. Each side was allowed to remove six potential jurors, and as is the case with jury trials, which are even conducted entirely in public, it was not immediately clear why some were removed from the panel.

The case will focus on Fox News’ coverage of the aftermath of the 2020 presidential election and how the news personalities and guests bolstered allegations that Dominion rigged the vote results in favor of Joe Biden.

The trial could also have an impact on the news media’s accountability in reporting on politics, especially in times of misinformation, conspiracy theories and rampant accusations.

Attorneys will likely begin their opening statements in the late morning or early afternoon. This process can also take some time as counterparties are expected to raise a number of objections. The arguments are also expected to be visually heavy, as screens have been installed in the courtroom.

Among those on trial Tuesday were author Michael Wolff and Fox News MediaBuzz host Howard Kurtz.

Davis allows reporters to have laptops in the courtroom, but they are not allowed to use Wi-Fi to transmit stories or news. However, he cautioned that reporters should try to keep their type of rattling to a minimum. “Be careful. It can send the wrong message to the jury while you’re typing,” he said.

The judge laughed when he told the jury they could bring liquid drinks into the courtroom during the trial. “No alcohol,” he said.