The Supreme Court has denied President Donald Trump’s second attempt to overturn a $5 million verdict finding him liable for defaming writer E. Jean Carroll, making the jury’s decision final and unreviewable in any court.
Court Rejects Second Appeal Attempt
Trump’s legal team had asked the justices to reconsider their earlier refusal to hear his appeal in the defamation case brought by Carroll, a longtime advice columnist and former television talk show host. The court rejected the petition without comment, along with several other cases. The decision marks the end of Trump’s legal options to challenge the 2023 jury verdict that found him liable for both sexual assault and defamation.
Roberta Kaplan, Carroll’s attorney, said they were pleased with the outcome. The lawyer emphasized that the jury’s unanimous verdict is now final and cannot be challenged in any court, bringing closure to Carroll’s years-long legal battle against the president.
The Original Allegations and Trial
Carroll testified during the 2023 trial that Trump turned a friendly encounter in the 1990s into a violent assault in a dressing room at Bergdorf Goodman, a luxury department store located across from Trump Tower in Manhattan. The jury found Trump liable for defaming Carroll when he publicly denied her allegation in 2022. Carroll came forward publicly with her account, which is why news organizations including the Associated Press identify her by name despite their standard practice of protecting the identities of sexual assault survivors.
Legal Implications for the President
The Supreme Court’s decision means Trump must satisfy the $5 million judgment while serving as president. Trump’s lawyers had argued the case warranted Supreme Court review, but the justices declined to intervene for a second time. The verdict represents one of several legal judgments Trump faces while in office, creating an unprecedented situation where a sitting president owes substantial damages from civil litigation that concluded before his current term. The finality of the decision removes any remaining legal pathway for Trump to contest the jury’s findings.