The United States Supreme Court has turned down a second attempt by former US President Donald Trump to appeal a civil verdict finding him liable for sexual abuse and defamation against writer and former magazine columnist E. Jean Carroll.
The rejection was published in the Supreme Court’s official orders list following a petition for rehearing submitted by Trump’s legal team. This follows an earlier refusal by the court to hear the case against the 2023 verdict, which ordered Trump to pay $5 million in damages for sexually abusing Carroll in 1996 and subsequently defaming her.
Key Highlights of the Ruling
Final Decision: E. Jean Carroll’s lead attorney, Roberta Kaplan, issued a statement expressing satisfaction with the Supreme Court’s decision, noting that the jury’s unanimous verdict is now final and legally unchallengeable.
No Explanation Provided: The Supreme Court dismissed Trump’s petition without offering specific commentary, which was part of a broader batch of rejected rehearing requests.
Payout Secured: Following the court’s initial refusal to hear the appeal, Carroll received approximately $5.8 million, covering the original damages alongside accrued interest.
Background of the Legal Battle
The legal conflict began in 2019 when Carroll published an excerpt from her memoir alleging that Trump assaulted her in a Bergdorf Goodman dressing room in New York in 1996. Trump vehemently denied the allegations, making public statements questioning her credibility. The specific $5.8 million lawsuit stemmed from statements Trump made on social media in 2022 labeling her claims a hoax.
Separately, a federal jury awarded Carroll $83.3 million in 2024 over additional defamatory remarks made during Trump’s presidency. Trump is currently appealing that separate judgment, asserting claims of presidential immunity.
