This is one of those cases that could easily be adapted for the big or small screen, yet it is entirely real and drawn from life. The billionaire media mogul Rupert Murdoch and his family are embroiled in a legal dispute as the 93-year-old wants his eldest son to inherit his empire, while his other three children are vying for an equal share of their father’s global media empire.
According to CNN, the mogul decided last year to amend the family trust that determines who will control his estate after his death, sparking a fierce dispute among his children.
With a net worth of $21.7 billion as of March 2, 2022, Murdoch is the 31st richest person in the United States and the 71st richest in the world according to Forbes magazine.
The case has escalated beyond a family disagreement, moving into the courtroom, specifically in Reno, Nevada.
It all began when Murdoch requested the court to amend the trust, which would have given equal voting rights to his four children—Lachlan, James, Elizabeth, and Prudence—after his death. Instead, Murdoch seeks to grant exclusive control to Lachlan, his eldest son, whom he appears to have chosen as his successor.
Lachlan, who aligns more with his father’s conservative political views compared to his siblings, took on the role of Chairman of Fox Corporation and News Corporation in September when Murdoch stepped down. According to court documents reported by the New York Times, Murdoch believes that granting control to Lachlan will better protect the value of his businesses after his death by maintaining their right-leaning political direction.
The legal battle will determine who will ultimately manage Murdoch’s vast conservative media empire, including the highly profitable Fox News channel. The court dispute unfolds as there is a possibility that the powerful and influential platforms could shift to a more moderate political stance if Lachlan’s siblings gain control.
Last week, the youngest son, James Murdoch, who resigned from News Corp in 2020, publicly signed a letter supporting Kamala Harris for president, describing her election as “the best way to support the continued strength, security, and reliability of our democracy and economy.”
Representatives for Rupert, Lachlan, James, and Elizabeth Murdoch either declined to comment or did not respond to CNN’s requests. Prudence, Murdoch’s eldest child, was unavailable for comment.
Although the Murdochs have no substantive connection to the state of Nevada, the family feud is being fought in a closed courtroom in Washoe County. Nevada offers one of the most private judicial environments for such cases, allowing judges to seal cases to such an extent that their very existence is not even published on court dockets.
Alex Falconi, founder of Our Nevada Judges, a nonprofit organization that monitors judicial decisions and publishes videos of court proceedings, explains that the level of privacy provided by Nevada can lead to unusual legal issues.
This dispute is expected to have significant implications for the future of the Murdoch empire and how it will be managed after his death. The case has attracted the interest of major news organizations, which are attempting to lift the strict confidentiality surrounding the process.
