“Dominion’s defamation claim has nothing to do with the Capitol riot,” Fox’s lawyers argued in the court filings. Depending on how the judge rules, the outcome of these motions could significantly shape the trial, potentially giving one side an advantage. Both Fox and Dominion filed a slew of these pretrial motions last month, but they were under seal. “Fox’s motions attempt to narrow Dominion’s kitchen sink legal approach and return focus to the core issues,” a Fox News spokesperson said in a Thursday statement. Fox has argued that a loss will eviscerate press freedoms, and many scholars agree that the bar should remain high to prove defamation.

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