Judge restricts Dominion's and Fox's defense options in defamation trial.

A judge in Delaware has ruled that Fox News cannot argue that it broadcast false information about Dominion Voting Systems on the basis that the allegations were newsworthy, limiting a key line of defense for the network as it faces a potentially costly defamation trial next week. The judge also ruled that Dominion could not refer to the Jan. 6, 2021, assault on the Capitol except in very narrow circumstances. The lawsuit, in which Dominion is seeking $1.6 billion in damages, is teeing up a major test of the First Amendment and, depending on the outcome, could renew questions about whether defamation law adequately protects victims of misinformation campaigns.