The battle over right-wing media mogul Rupert Murdoch’s trust is in Washoe County Second Judicial Court. That court deemed the entire case confidential, including the parties’ names. The court’s administrator said all hearings in the case are closed.
“Any public information related to this matter can now be located at https://www.washoecourts.com/AttendingCourt/NotableCase,” Court Administrator Alicia Lerude said in a statement to the news media. “At this time, any information not provided on this page is sealed pursuant to court order. Please refer to NRS 164.041 and NRS 669A.256 for additional information.
“The Second Judicial District Court does intend to update this webpage should there be additional filings or changes to event dates,” she added. “The Court has no documents associated with this matter that are not sealed pursuant to court order. In addition, any hearings set in this matter are closed to the public per court order.”
Alex Falconi with Our Nevada Judges, a website that reports on court hearings and cases, said the case’s closure is blatantly illegal. Nevada law does not allow “super sealing,” and courts cannot hide all case details from the public, he said, adding that the extreme secrecy surrounding the case violates the Nevada Supreme Court rules on sealing and redaction, which provide that “under no circumstances shall the court seal an entire court file.”
“The concealment of entire case files renders the operation of the court so wholly invisible that the corporation’s lawyers cannot even determine where to file the motions necessary to trigger a First Amendment analysis on whether and to what extent unsealing should occur,” he told This Is Reno.
Falconi has prevailed in state court on similar attempts to cloak court cases in secrecy, including a landmark case in February.
Murdoch’s children are battling over the media giant’s assets. The case has drawn international attention, most recently in Nevada, where the New York Times and other media reported that it was being heard. The Times called it a “secret battle.”
“The Nevada probate commissioner found that Mr. Murdoch could amend the trust if he is able to show he is acting in good faith and for the sole benefit of his heirs, according to a copy of his 48-page decision,” the Times reported on July 24. “A trial to determine whether Mr. Murdoch is acting in good faith is expected to start in September. Hanging in the balance will be the future of one of the most politically influential media companies in the English-speaking world.”
This Is Reno filed a media coverage request with the court and intends to challenge the decision if denied.
Court records, which only identify Murdoch as “Doe,” show the case has been active in Washoe County since October. Probate Commissioner Edmund Gorman Jr. is overseeing the case.
