Jury selection is set to begin Thursday in a closely watched defamation trial pitting voting technology company Smartmatic against the right-wing cable network Newsmax, in a high-stakes case over the airing of false 2020 election claims.

Newsmax has settled a defamation lawsuit brought by Smartmatic over false claims the right-wing news channel aired during the 2020 presidential election. The deal was reached on Thursday after jury selection started.

The voting technology company Smartmatic and the conservative cable channel Newsmax have reached a settlement, averting a defamation trial that would have begun Monday over allegations that Newsmax personalities and guests spread lies about the 2020 election and Smartmatic’s role in it.

A defamation trial against Newsmax Media kicks off on Thursday over allegations the conservative outlet damaged Smartmatic by broadcasting false claims that the voting machine company helped steal the 2020 U.

Cable TV outlet Newsmax and the voting machine company Smartmatic settled a defamation lawsuit stemming from claims by Newsmax that the 2020 election was rigged, the cable operator announced Thursday.

Smartmatic had sued Newsmax over the right-wing news outlet's airing of false claims that Smartmatic's voting machines had rigged the 2020 election for Joe Biden.

Newsmax Media reached a confidential settlement of a lawsuit by Smartmatic, the voting machine maker that had alleged it was defamed by the news outlet's false claims that its machines were rigged to help steal the 2020 U.