'Making trouble': Court unseals Murdoch family succession documents

Unsealed court documents from a Reno courthouse have shed light on the contentious Murdoch family succession battle, revealing a "carefully crafted charade" orchestrated by Rupert and his son Lachlan Murdoch. The documents detail how they attempted to consolidate control of the media empire, primarily favoring Lachlan over his siblings James, Elisabeth, and Prudence.

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carefully crafted charade

Commissioner Edmund Gorman's 96-page ruling, previously undisclosed, found that Rupert and Lachlan acted in "bad faith" towards their siblings in their bid to alter the family trust. This move aimed to secure Lachlan's leadership of Fox Corporation and News Corporation following Rupert's death, deviating from the original trust's intent to split control equally among Rupert's four eldest children.

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bad faith

The original trust, established in 1970 to mitigate Australian death taxes, was later solidified in 1999 after Rupert's divorce from Anna Torv. It was an "irrevocable" agreement stipulating equal division of business control. However, a clause allowing Rupert to amend children's sub-trusts if "in the best interests of such beneficiaries" became the basis for Rupert and Lachlan's "Project Family Harmony" plan.

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in the best interests of such beneficiaries

Despite the deep family rifts laid bare in the judgment, a deal was reached in 2025. This agreement ensures Lachlan retains control of the media empire, while James, Elisabeth, and Prudence each receive over $US1 billion ($1.52 billion) for their shares. The unsealing of these documents provides a comprehensive look into the decades of public disagreements and the bitter legal fight that defined the family's succession.

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perhaps too optimistic