Attorneys representing Fox News and Dominion Voting Systems clashed in pre-trial hearings over whether Fox's biggest stars can be questioned regarding their broadcasts, which Dominion says were defamatory. Fox attorney Dan Webb claimed that the hosts would argue they didn't make the statements, while Judge Eric Davis warned him that contradicting his previous rulings would mislead jurors. Davis had already ruled against Fox's "newsworthy" defense and held that Fox's statements about Dominion were false. During the hearing, Davis made it "crystal clear" the allegiances against Dominion were false and reminded the Fox attorney that bringing someone on-air "does not absolve the publisher." The judge also ruled on evidence restrictions with Liberty University’s defamation suit against The New York Times. Davis had limited references to the Jan. 6 riots, saying that it was not relevant to the central question of whether Fox intentionally aired false claims. The verdict of the Dominion case may set a precedent for the broadcasting industry and the line between defamation and free speech.