{{Short description|Estate dispute}} {{use mdy dates|date=September 2024}} {{use American English|date=September 2024}} {{Infobox court case | italic title = no | name = In the Matter of the Doe 1 Trust | court = [[Nevada District Courts|Nevada Second Judicial District Court]] | image = | imagesize = | imagelink = | imagealt = | caption = | full name = | date decided = December 9, 2024 | citations = PR23-00813 | transcripts = | judges = Edmund Gorman Jr. ([[probate]] commissioner) | prior actions = | subsequent actions = | opinions = | PerCuriam = | Dissent = | JoinDissent = | keywords = }} The '''succession of Rupert Murdoch''' describes a court case relating to which of Australian-American media magnate [[Rupert Murdoch]]'s children will gain power and influence over his business interests, in particular [[News Corp]] and [[Fox Corporation]]. Since Murdoch's retirement and {{as of|September 2024|lc=yes}}, these have been headed by his eldest son [[Lachlan Murdoch]]. The case is known as '''''In the Matter of the Doe 1 Trust'''''.
The issue of [[Succession planning|succession]] began in December 2023, when Rupert Murdoch applied to change the terms of his "irrevocable" [[family trust]] (established in 1999, as the Murdoch Family Trust, or MFT) to ensure that Lachlan would have full control over News Corp, a mass media and publishing company that manages [[List of assets owned by News Corp|hundreds of assets]], instead of his sharing voting rights equally with his three siblings [[Prudence MacLeod]], [[Elisabeth Murdoch (businesswoman)|Elisabeth Murdoch]] and [[James Murdoch]]. The court case was held at the [[Washoe County Courthouse]] in [[Reno, Nevada]], U.S., in September 2024.
On December 9, 2024, probate commissioner Edmund Gorman Jr. ruled against Rupert and Lachlan Murdoch.
==Background== [[File:Rupert Murdoch - Flickr - Eva Rinaldi Celebrity and Live Music Photographer.jpg|thumb|upright|[[Rupert Murdoch]]]]
===News Corp=== {{Main|News Corp}} In 1952, Rupert Murdoch inherited ''[[The News (Adelaide)|The News]]'', a tabloid newspaper based in [[Adelaide]], [[South Australia]], after the death of his father [[Keith Murdoch|Keith]]. In the years following, he acquired several newspapers in the United Kingdom and the United States, including ''[[News of the World]]'', ''[[The Sun (United Kingdom)|The Sun]]'', the ''[[New York Post]]'', and founded [[Sky News]] and [[Fox News]]. [[News Corporation]], Murdoch's company, later acquired [[HarperCollins]] and [[Dow Jones & Company]], the publisher of ''[[The Wall Street Journal]]''. In 2013, amid [[2011 News Corporation scandals|several scandals]]—including the [[News International phone hacking scandal]], News Corporation divested its entertainment assets into [[21st Century Fox]] and its publishing assets into [[News Corp]]. [[The Walt Disney Company]] [[Acquisition of 21st Century Fox by Disney|acquired]] 21st Century Fox in March 2019. Murdoch's eldest son [[Lachlan Murdoch|Lachlan]] was appointed the chief executive of [[Fox Corporation]] following the acquisition and appointed the chairman of Fox Corporation and News Corp in September 2023. Murdoch's assets are primarily derived from Fox Corporation, which retained nearly thirty affiliate television stations after Disney's acquisition and operates several Fox News affiliates.<ref name="NYTimesMurdochEmpire">{{Cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/09/21/business/rupert-murdoch-media-empire.html |title=How Rupert Murdoch Built His Media Empire |date=September 21, 2023 |last=Edward Moreno |first=J. |work=[[The New York Times]] |access-date=September 12, 2024}}</ref>
===Murdoch family=== {{Further|Murdoch family}} {{Multiple image | image1 = Nordiske Mediedager 2010 - Thursday - NMD 2010 (4583813556) (cropped).jpg | alt1 = | width1 = 160 | image2 = Lachlan Murdoch in May 2013.jpg | alt2 = | width2 = 160 | image3 = James Murdoch 2008- NRKbeta (cropped).jpg | alt3 = | width3 = 160 | footer = [[Elisabeth Murdoch (businesswoman)|Elisabeth]], [[Lachlan Murdoch|Lachlan]], and [[James Murdoch]] | align = right | total_width = 360 | footer_align = left }} Rupert Murdoch has six children, including one with Patricia Booker and three with [[Anna Maria Torv]] (now Anna dePeyster). [[Prudence MacLeod|Prudence]], who is the only child from Murdoch's first marriage, was described by [[Michael Wolff (journalist)|Michael Wolff]] in ''[[Vanity Fair (magazine)|Vanity Fair]]'' as uninterested in Murdoch's business operations, though she was employed as a journalist at ''[[News of the World]]''. [[Elisabeth Murdoch (businesswoman)|Elisabeth]], Murdoch's eldest child with Torv, was the chairwoman of television production firm [[Shine Group]] until it was acquired by [[21st Century Fox]] in 2015.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2008/12/murdoch200812 |title=The Secrets of His Succession |date=October 31, 2008 |last=Wolff |first=Michael |work=[[Vanity Fair (magazine)|Vanity Fair]] |access-date=September 12, 2024}}</ref> [[Lachlan Murdoch|Lachlan]], Murdoch's elder son, is the chairman of [[Fox Corporation]] and [[News Corp]] and the chief executive of Fox Corporation.<ref name="NYTimesMurdochEmpire"/> [[James Murdoch|James]] was a board member of News Corp until he resigned in 2020 over "disagreements over certain editorial content," including coverage by the company's assets of the [[2019–20 Australian bushfire season]]. James's political views concerned his father, who believed he would enlist Elisabeth and Prudence to ensure editorial neutrality.<ref name="NYTimesBattle">{{Cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/24/business/media/rupert-murdoch-succession-fox.html |title=The Secret Battle for the Future of the Murdoch Empire |date=July 24, 2024 |last1=Rutenberg |first1=Jim |last2=Mahler |first2=Jonathan |author-link1=Jim Rutenberg |work=[[The New York Times]] |access-date=September 12, 2024}}</ref> According to ''[[The Wall Street Journal]]'', Murdoch postulated that James could sell [[Fox News]], and former host [[Tucker Carlson]] expressed concerns. In October 2022, Murdoch proposed combining News Corp and Fox Corporation, a merger that would have solidified Lachlan's position. Murdoch's efforts were privately criticized by Elisabeth and Prudence; at a dinner for Elisabeth's husband [[Keith Tyson]], [[Robert De Niro]] encouraged her to go against her father, though she later appeared with Rupert at [[Super Bowl LVII]].<ref name="WSJRift">{{Cite web |url=https://www.wsj.com/business/media/rupert-murdoch-family-rift-trust-385f73d2 |title=The Family Rift Driving Rupert Murdoch to Redo His 'Irrevocable' Trust |date=September 11, 2024 |last1=Toonkel |first1=Jessica |last2=Sharma |first2=Amol |last3=Frangos |first3=Alex |last4=Sayre |first4=Katherine |last5=Hagey |first5=Keach |work=[[The Wall Street Journal]] |access-date=September 12, 2024}}</ref>
The Murdoch Family Trust (MFT),<ref name=manning26oct2024>{{cite web |last=Manning |first=Paddy |title=This high-stakes meeting could pressure the Murdoch family to relinquish News Corp control |website=[[ABC News (Australia)|ABC News]] |date=26 October 2024 |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-10-26/news-corp-meeting-could-pressure-murdoch-to-relinquish-control/104478808 |access-date=30 October 2024}}</ref> written after Murdoch's divorce from Torv in 1999, defers management of News Corp to Murdoch's children upon his death and is largely irrevocable, but contains a provision that allows [[good faith]] and beneficial changes. The trust gives Chloe and Grace, Murdoch's two youngest children with [[Wendi Deng Murdoch]], equal share of the equity without voting rights.<ref name="NYTimesBattle"/> The Murdoch trust controls the largest share—but not a majority—of voting rights in News Corp despite low equity.<ref name="FTInfo">{{Cite web |url=https://www.ft.com/content/c6adaaa1-2ccb-4051-9637-a468522ba8ab |title=The Murdoch succession saga reaches its 'end game' |date=September 13, 2024 |last1=Miller |first1=Joe |last2=Nicolaou |first2=Anna |work=[[Financial Times]] |access-date=September 13, 2024}}</ref> The MFT owns only 14 per cent of News Corp in economic terms, but the family is able to have control over it because it owns 41 per cent of the voting shares. This is because News Corp shares have two tiers: [[voting shares]] and [[non-voting shares]].<ref name=manning26oct2024/> The trust is governed by a single trustee, Cruden Financial Services, which is controlled by a board composed of six managing directors; four appointed by each of the older children, allotted one vote each, and two appointed by Rupert, with two votes each.<ref name=mahler2025>{{cite web | last1=Mahler | first1=Jonathan | last2=Rutenberg | first2=Jim | title=Inside the Murdochs' Succession Drama | website=[[The New York Times]] | date=13 February 2025 | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/13/magazine/rupert-murdoch-succession-family-trust-fight.html | access-date=16 February 2025}}</ref>
In mid-2023, Lachlan Murdoch initiated a plan to change the trust, which he named "Project Family Harmony", labelling his brother James as the "troublesome beneficiary."<ref name="x067"/> In December 2023, Rupert Murdoch applied to alter the terms of the irrevocable trust in an effort to appoint Lachlan as the sole proprietor, arguing that the conservative bias of News Corp's media assets could be retained, ensuring its commercial value. He met with Elisabeth and Prudence after filing his petition, who disapproved of his efforts.<ref name="NYTimesBattle"/> Rupert moved the trust to [[Nevada]], a decision that would favor Lachlan for the state's probate law.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/09/13/business/media/murdoch-family-trust-nevada.html |title=Future of Murdoch Empire Comes Down to a Court in Nevada |date=September 13, 2024 |last=Rutenberg |first=Jim |author-link=Jim Rutenberg |work=[[The New York Times]] |access-date=September 13, 2024}}</ref> Nevada has strict confidentiality protections, and few income and inheritance taxes, so it is a popular state for the management of family trusts.<ref name=miller2024/> Representatives for Murdoch's children attempted to adjourn a meeting in [[Reno]] approving the changes, but failed.<ref name="NYTimesBattle"/> Rupert's argument was that interference by the other siblings would cause a financial loss to Fox, and therefore it would be "in their own best interests if they have their votes taken away from them".<ref name=whittaker2024>{{cite web | last=Whittaker | first=Mark | title=Lachlan Murdoch: Holding the keys to the empire and, maybe, the future of democracy | website=Forbes Australia | date=8 September 2024 | url=https://www.forbes.com.au/news/billionaires/lachlan-murdoch-holding-the-keys-to-the-empire-and-democracy/ | access-date=18 September 2024}}</ref>
According to the ''[[Wall Street Journal]]'' in September 2024, James had made a prior attempt at settlement, in a proposal that included the possible sale of his and his sisters' interests in the trust. However, this would lead to a loosening of Rupert and Lachlan's hold on the companies, as they would be under financial strain.<ref name=verrender2024>{{cite web |last=Verrender |first=Ian |title=Inside 'Project Harmony', Rupert Murdoch's desperate plan to keep control from beyond the grave |website=[[ABC News (Australia)|ABC News]] |date=21 September 2024 |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-09-21/inside-the-murdoch-family-power-struggle/104376356 |access-date=20 September 2024}}</ref> Paddy Manning, who published an unauthorised biography of Lachlan Murdoch in 2022,<ref>{{cite book |last=Manning |first=P. |title=The Successor: The High-Stakes Life of Lachlan Murdoch |publisher=[[Black Inc.]] |year=2022 |isbn=978-1-74382-271-5 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PJp8EAAAQBAJ |access-date=Sep 25, 2024 |page=}}</ref> claims that Lachlan had the option to buy out his family members a few years ago, but, after papers had been drawn up, he decided that the price was too high, and none of the siblings appeared to pose a threat to his control of the business. To buy out his three siblings now would cost at least $US3 billion (A$4.4 billion), and as his wealth was estimated at $US2.4 billion (A$3.5 billion) in early 2024, it is unclear whether he could fund the purchase.<ref name=manning23sep2024>{{cite web |last=Manning |first=Paddy |title=What the fight for the Murdoch family media empire is really about |website=[[ABC News (Australia)]] |date=Sep 22, 2024 |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-09-23/what-the-fight-for-the-murdoch-media-empire-is-really-about/104257886 |access-date=Sep 25, 2024}}</ref>
An annual meeting of News Corp shareholders was held by webcast on 20 November,<ref>{{cite web |title=Schedule 14A |url=https://investors.newscorp.com/static-files/4c6fab48-a869-4695-9a04-d70e06c5e51c| publisher= [[Starboard Value]] |access-date=30 October 2024}}</ref> to determine whether the "dual-class" share structure (voting and non-voting) should be abolished, after [[Starboard Value]], which has bought up a large share of News Corp over the previous year, proposed a one-share-one-vote system. News Corp stated that if the proposal is accepted, the new system of shares could only be introduced if agreement between voting and non-voting shareholders is reached.<ref name=manning26oct2024/> After the meeting on 20 November, the Murdoch Family Trust and other investors voted to reject Starboard's proposal, retaining the dual-class voting structure.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Herbst-Bayliss |first1=Svea |title=News Corp says investors reject proposal to end dual class voting structure |url=https://www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/news-corp-says-investors-reject-proposal-end-dual-class-voting-structure-2024-11-20/ |work=Reuters |access-date=23 December 2024 |date=November 21, 2024}}</ref>
===Murdoch's health=== According to ''[[Vanity Fair (magazine)|Vanity Fair]]'' in April 2023, Murdoch had previously suffered several medical emergencies that were largely unreported, including "a broken back, [[seizure]]s, two bouts of [[pneumonia]], [[atrial fibrillation]], and a torn [[Achilles tendon]]." In July 2022, Murdoch collapsed in [[Oxfordshire]] from [[COVID-19]]-related complications. He was treated at [[Cromwell Hospital]] over the course of a week, and required the assistance of Lachlan to move.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2023/04/rupert-murdoch-cover-story |title=Inside Rupert Murdoch's Succession Drama |date=April 12, 2023 |last=Sherman |first=Gabriel |work=[[Vanity Fair (magazine)|Vanity Fair]] |access-date=September 12, 2024}}</ref>
===Nevada trust law=== It is not stated where the family trust was set up, but a key reason for challenging the terms in [[Nevada]] is that it allows changing the terms of a trust, using a method known as "decanting". This allows assets of one trust to be moved (or "poured") into a new trust with altered provisions. Nevada does not tax trusts at a state level nor mandate the reporting of trusts.<ref name=saeed2024/>
Nevada has strong privacy protections, which can be used to prevent publication of any details, which would not be allowed under Australian law and in most other places.<ref name=saeed2024>{{cite web |last=Saeed |first=Daanyal |title=Why are the Murdochs fighting in Nevada of all places? |website=Crikey |date=Sep 18, 2024 |url=https://www.crikey.com.au/2024/09/18/the-murdoch-family-case-nevada-reno/ |access-date=Sep 25, 2024}}</ref>
==Legal proceedings== [[File:Washoe County Courthouse, Reno, Nevada (6320816708).jpg|thumb|upright|The legality of Murdoch's changes to [[Murdoch family|his family]]'s trust was decided at the [[Washoe County Courthouse]].]]
===Pre-trial motions=== In June 2024, [[Nevada District Courts|Nevada Second Judicial District Court]] probate commissioner Edmund Gorman Jr. ruled that Murdoch could amend the trust if he could argue that "he is acting in good faith and for the sole benefit of his heirs," according to ''[[The New York Times]]'',<ref name="NYTimesBattle"/> which also reported that Rupert Murdoch wants his companies to remain politically conservative, and sees his other children as too politically liberal.<ref name=clarke2024>{{cite web | last1=Clarke | first1=Carrington | last2=Ryan | first2=Brad | title=Rupert Murdoch's family feud over future of News Corp and Fox plays out in Nevada court | website=[[ABC News (Australia)|ABC News]] | date=17 September 2024 | url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-09-17/rupert-lachlan-james-murdoch-news-corp-fox-court-nevada/104358816 | access-date=17 September 2024}}</ref><ref name=rutenberg2024>{{cite web | last1=Rutenberg | first1=Jim | last2=Mahler | first2=Jonathan | title=The Murdoch Family Is Battling Over the Future of the Fox Empire | website=[[The New York Times]] | date=24 July 2024 | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/24/business/media/rupert-murdoch-succession-fox.html | access-date=19 September 2024}}</ref>
Alex Falconi, a software engineer who founded the organization Our Nevada Judges, petitioned Gorman to televise the trial.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2024/09/06/murdoch-family-fights-bid-televise-legal-battle/ |title=Murdoch family fights attempt to have Succession-style legal battle televised |date=September 6, 2024 |last=Warrington |first=James |work=[[The Daily Telegraph]] |access-date=September 12, 2024}}</ref> Six news organizations—the [[Associated Press]], [[CNN]], [[NPR]], ''[[The New York Times]]'', [[Reuters]], and ''[[The Washington Post]]''—filed a petition to unseal court proceedings and documents.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/business/business-news/rupert-murdoch-media-empire-family-feud-court-rcna168776 |title=The fight for the future of the Murdoch media empire is about to begin |date=September 7, 2024 |last=Arkin |first=Daniel |publisher=[[NBC News]] |access-date=September 12, 2024}}</ref><ref name=gold2024/> The petitions were rejected on September 12,<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/murdoch-family-succession-battle-will-remain-confidential-judge-rules-rcna171009 |title=Murdoch family succession battle will remain confidential, judge rules |date=September 13, 2024 |last=Arkin |first=Daniel |publisher=[[NBC News]] |access-date=September 13, 2024}}</ref> with the judge ruling that the case is "essentially a private legal arrangement".<ref name=gold2024/>
===Trial=== The court described the case as "The Matter of the Doe 1 Trust, PR23-00813",<ref name=gold2024>{{Cite news |url=https://www.cnn.com/2024/09/12/business/murdoch-succession-family-trust-court-nevada-fox/index.html |title=Why the Murdoch family is secretly battling over succession in an obscure Nevada court |date=September 12, 2024 |last=Gold |first=Hadas |work=[[CNN]] |access-date=September 12, 2024}}</ref> and provided a public schedule of the case in a general docket on September 7, 2024.<ref>{{cite web |website=Second Judicial District Court of Washoe County|title=Notable Cases|date=26 January 2024 |url=https://www.washoecourts.com/AttendingCourt/NotableCases |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240907102345/https://www.washoecourts.com/AttendingCourt/NotableCases |archive-date=7 September 2024 |url-status=dead|access-date=24 September 2024}}</ref>
James, Elisabeth, and Prudence were represented by Gary A. Bornstein of [[Cravath, Swaine & Moore]]; Rupert was represented by [[private wealth]] litigator [[Adam Streisand]] of [[Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton]];<ref name="NYTimesBattle"/> and Lachlan by Alexander LeVeque of Solomon Dwiggins Freer & Steadman, Ltd.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Notable Cases|url=https://www.washoecourts.com/AttendingCourt/NotableCases/ |access-date=2024-10-19 |website=Second Judicial District Court of Washoe County|language=en}}</ref> The trial began on September 16, 2024.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.reuters.com/legal/murdoch-succession-battle-play-out-nevada-courtroom-2024-09-12/ |title=Murdoch succession battle to play out in Nevada courtroom |date=September 12, 2024 |last=Chmielewski |first=Dawn |publisher=[[Reuters]] |access-date=September 12, 2024}}</ref>
===Conclusion=== The trial concluded on September 23, 2024.<ref name=miller2024>{{cite news |title=Murdoch trust trial concludes with judge's ruling still to come |first=Hannah |last=Miller| agency=[[Bloomberg News]]|via=Las Vegas Sun |date=September 24, 2024 |url=https://lasvegassun.com/news/2024/sep/24/murdoch-trust-trial-concludes-with-judges-ruling-s/ |access-date=September 24, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Chmielewski |first=Dawn |title=Judge concludes hearing to determine fate of Murdoch media empire |work=[[Reuters]] |date=September 23, 2024 |url=https://www.reuters.com/legal/judge-concludes-hearing-determine-fate-murdoch-media-empire-2024-09-23/ |access-date=September 24, 2024}}</ref> The court had ruled against Rupert and Lachlan Murdoch, who, according to the commissioner's report, had acted in [[bad faith]] when trying to change the trust.<ref>{{cite web |last=Chmielewski |first=Dawn |title=Rupert Murdoch fails in bid to change family trust, New York Times reports |website=[[Reuters]] |date=9 December 2024 |url=https://www.reuters.com/legal/rupert-murdoch-fails-bid-change-family-trust-new-york-times-reports-2024-12-09/ |access-date=9 December 2024}}</ref> Gorman's 96-page opinion included a description of Rupert Murdoch's plan as "a carefully crafted charade" to "permanently cement Lachlan Murdoch's executive roles" in the Murdoch companies, without regard to the effects of such control on the companies or other family members.
Rupert and Lachlan Murdoch's lawyer, Adam Streisand, stated on December 10 that they would appeal the verdict.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Mahler |first1=Jonathan |last2=Rutenberg |first2=Jim |title=Rupert Murdoch Fails in Bid to Change Family Trust |website=[[The New York Times]] |date=9 December 2024 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/09/business/media/rupert-lachlan-murdoch-family-trust.html |access-date=9 December 2024|url-access=subscription}}</ref> There was speculation that if Murdoch lost the appeal before his death, he might sell the rest of his company.<ref name="x067">{{cite web | last1=Sorkin | first1=Andrew Ross | last2=Mattu | first2=Ravi | last3=Warner | first3=Bernhard | last4=Kessler | first4=Sarah | last5=de la Merced | first5=Michael J. | last6=Hirsch | first6=Lauren | last7=Lee | first7=Edmund | last8=Maheshwari | first8=Sapna | title=How Rupert Murdoch Could Fight Back After a Big Legal Defeat | website=The New York Times | date=December 10, 2024 | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/10/business/dealbook/murdoch-lachlan-trust-succession.html | access-date=December 15, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241213022107/https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/10/business/dealbook/murdoch-lachlan-trust-succession.html |archive-date=2024-12-13}}</ref> [[William Barr]] – who had been appointed president of the single trustee, Cruden Financial Services, by Rupert in 2023 – has also filed a challenge.<ref name=mahler2025/>
[[Rutgers Law School]] expert in [[estate planning]] Reid Kress Weisbord said that the verdict was exceptionally strongly worded, and may be difficult to appeal. A spokesperson for the three siblings said: "We welcome Commissioner Gorman's decision and hope that we can move beyond this litigation to focus on strengthening and rebuilding relationships among all family members."<ref name=clarke2024a/>
==Settlement== On September 8, 2025, the Murdochs reached a $3.3 billion settlement, giving Lachlan control of News Corp. and Fox Corp. until at least 2050.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Weprin |first=Alex |date=2025-09-09 |title=Succession War Over, Lachlan Murdoch Turns to Next Era of Empire Building |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/lachlan-murdoch-rupert-murdoch-next-fox-news-corp-1236365893/ |access-date=2025-09-10 |website=[[The Hollywood Reporter]] |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Rutenberg |first=Jim |last2=Mahler |first2=Jonathan |date=September 8, 2025 |title=Murdochs Reach Deal to Resolve Succession Fight |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/09/08/business/media/murdoch-family-trust-succession-deal.html |access-date=October 9, 2025 |website=[[The New York Times]]}}</ref> Each of the other three siblings in the trust were awarded $1.1 billion, a much higher settlement than they had previously been offered.<ref>{{cite web | last=Savage | first=Michael | title=Lachlan finally has control of Murdoch empire but deal is a win for sibling rivals | website=The Guardian | date=9 September 2025 | url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2025/sep/09/lachlan-control-murdoch-empire-but-deal-win-sibling-rivals | access-date=10 September 2025}}</ref> Lachlan's half-siblings Chloe and Grace remain non-voting beneficiaries in the family trust, entitled to one-third of the assets in the trust when they turn 30. This was agreed to by their mother Wendi Deng.<ref>{{cite web | last=Chenoweth | first=Neil | title=Murdochs resolve succession saga but family's hold on empire is vulnerable | website=[[ABC News (Australia)|ABC News]] | date=9 September 2025 | url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-09-10/murdoch-money-trust/105753004 | access-date=10 September 2025| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250910073238/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-09-10/murdoch-money-trust/105753004 |archive-date = 10 Sep 2025| url-status=live}}</ref>
==Impact== The significance of the trial was linked to the influence of Fox News on the [[2024 United States elections|2024 U.S. elections]]. The outlet has in the past publicly not only endorsed [[Donald Trump]]'s presidency but also some of his more questionable assertions and [[conspiracy theories]], including his [[Big lie#Donald Trump's false claims of a stolen election|big lie about the 2020 election being "stolen"]].<ref name=manning23sep2024/> After Trump's victory in November, Fox News attracted 70% of [[United States cable news|cable news]] watchers. Johanna Dunaway, research director of [[Institute for Democracy, Journalism and Citizenship|Syracuse University's Institute for Democracy, Journalism, and Citizenship]] in Washington and co-author of ''The House that Fox News Built?'', said that Fox "wields direct influence over politicians... partly because they know Trump is watching".<ref name=clarke2024a/>
Lachlan Murdoch has in the past not been as vocal as James about how [[climate change]] or other political issues have been treated on the network.<ref>{{cite news |first1=Helen |last1=Coster |first2=Dawn |last2=Chmielewski |title=Murdoch Family Trust: The real battle over succession has yet to begin |work=Reuters |date=2023-09-22 |url=https://www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/murdoch-family-trust-real-battle-over-succession-has-yet-begin-2023-09-22/ |access-date=2025-01-08}}</ref>
After Trump's inauguration as president in January 2025, Rupert was invited to the [[Oval Office]],<ref name=mahler2025/> along with other influential people, in early February. Trump called Murdoch, along with [[Larry Ellison]], "the most powerful people in the world" and "legends in business".<ref>{{cite web | last=Hayden | first=Erik | title=Rupert Murdoch Joins Trump in Oval Office, Too | website=The Hollywood Reporter | date=3 February 2025 | url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/rupert-murdoch-trump-oval-office-1236126367/ | access-date=16 February 2025}}</ref>
==In popular culture== The television series ''[[Succession (TV series)|Succession]]'' concerns the succession of a fictional media empire known as Waystar Royco. Aspects of ''Succession'' were adapted from the [[Murdoch family]].<ref>{{Cite magazine |url=https://nymag.com/intelligencer/article/succession-based-on-rupert-murdoch-drama.html |title=How the Rupert Murdoch Family Drama Inspired Succession |date=September 21, 2023 |last=Hartmann |first=Margaret |magazine=[[New York (magazine)|New York]] |access-date=September 12, 2024}}</ref> Screenwriter [[Jesse Armstrong]] intended to write a documentary on Murdoch, but abandoned the project in 2011.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2023/may/27/jesse-armstrong-on-the-roots-of-succession-bum-rush-trump-presidency |title=Jesse Armstrong on the roots of Succession: 'Would it have landed the same way without the mad bum-rush of Trump's presidency?' |date=May 27, 2023 |last=Armstrong |first=Jesse |author-link=Jesse Armstrong |work=[[The Guardian]] |access-date=September 15, 2024}}</ref> The litigation ultimately came about after the airing of the episode "[[Connor's Wedding]]" in 2023, in which the Rupert Murdoch-esque [[Logan Roy]] dies after falling ill. The chaotic depiction of the aftermath prompted representatives for Elisabeth Murdoch to request a plan that prevented such a situation from playing out in real life.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Mahler |first1=Jonathan |last2=Rutenberg |first2=Jim |date=9 December 2024 |title=Rupert Murdoch Fails in Bid to Change Family Trust |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/09/business/media/rupert-lachlan-murdoch-family-trust.html |url-access=subscription |access-date=18 January 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241227223436/https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/09/business/media/rupert-lachlan-murdoch-family-trust.html |archive-date=2024-12-27 |work=[[The New York Times]]}}</ref>
During and after the probate trial, several commenters made reference to the TV series.<ref name="d148">{{cite web | last=Marr | first=Merissa | title=The Murdoch Feud Explained, With Thanks to 'Succession' | website=The New York Times | date=December 14, 2024 | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/14/opinion/rupert-murdoch-succession-lachlan-james-fox.html | access-date=December 15, 2024| url-access=subscription|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241214154401/https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/14/opinion/rupert-murdoch-succession-lachlan-james-fox.html| archive-date= December 14, 2024| url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="x067"/><ref name=clarke2024a>{{cite web | last=Clarke | first=Carrington | title=Rupert Murdoch had a succession plan for his media empire. What happens now a court's rejected it? | website=[[ABC News (Australia)]] | date=December 14, 2024 | url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-12-15/rupert-murdoch-news-fox-succession-court/104720570 | access-date=December 15, 2024}}</ref>
A documentary series focusing on the succession, ''[[Dynasty: The Murdochs]]'', directed by [[Liz Garbus]] and Sara Enright, was released on March 13, 2026, on [[Netflix]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2026/feb/26/rupert-murdoch-dynasty-netflix-series|title= Netflix to release four-part series about Rupert Murdoch’s family drama|website=[[The Guardian]]|first=Jeremy|last=Barr|date=February 26, 2026|access-date=March 5, 2026}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.whats-on-netflix.com/news/rupert-murdoch-docu-series-dynasty-the-murdochs-sets-netflix-release-date/|title=Rupert Murdoch Docu-series ‘Dynasty: The Murdochs’ Sets Netflix Release Date|website=What's On Netflix|first=Kasey|last=Moore|date=February 26, 2026|access-date=March 5, 2026}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==Further reading== * {{Cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/04/03/magazine/rupert-murdoch-fox-news-trump.html |title=How Rupert Murdoch's Empire of Influence Remade the World |date=April 3, 2019 |last1=Mahler |first1=Jonathan |last2=Rutenberg |first2=Jim |author-link2=Jim Rutenberg |work=[[The New York Times Magazine]] |access-date=September 12, 2024}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Succession of Rupert Murdoch}} [[Category:2024 in Nevada]] [[Category:2024 in United States case law]] [[Category:December 2024 in the United States]] [[Category:History of Reno, Nevada]] [[Category:Murdoch family| ]] [[Category:News Corporation scandal]] [[Category:Fox Corporation]] [[Category:Succession|Murdoch, Rupert]]