Following delay, judge says Dominion-Fox defamation trial will begin Tuesday

The judge overseeing Dominion Voting Systems' $1.6 billion defamation lawsuit against Fox News said Monday morning that the trial will proceed Tuesday, saying a delay like this "is not unusual."

Judge Eric Davis' remarks in court Monday morning came after an eleventh-hour delay in the case was announced Sunday night before the trial was set to begin Monday morning.

"This is not a press conference," Judge Davis said. "I have made the decision to delay the start of the trial until tomorrow."

The Wall Street Journal -- a publication owned by Fox Chairman Rupert Murdoch -- reported Sunday night that Fox had made a "late push to settle the dispute out of court," according to "people familiar with the decision."

Judge Davis made no mention of potential settlement talks Monday morning.

"It's a six-week trial, things happen," he said.

A Dominion spokesperson declined to comment on the Wall Street Journal reporting. A Fox News spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment.

Jury selection in the case began on Thursday and was scheduled to continue on Monday, with opening arguments scheduled for Monday afternoon.

Under the new schedule, jury selection is expected to resume on Tuesday morning.

Dominion has accused the conservative network of knowingly pushing false conspiracy theories that the voting machine company had somehow rigged the 2020 presidential election in Joe Biden's favor, in what Dominion claims was an effort to combat concerns over declining ratings and viewer retention.

Fox has defended its coverage, dismissing the suit as a "political crusade in search of a financial windfall."