The U.S. Supreme Court has let stand a jury verdict finding Donald Trump liable for sexually abusing and defaming writer E. Jean Carroll, clearing the way for her to collect a $5 million award. The justices declined without comment to hear Trump’s appeal, which argued that jurors should not have heard testimony about two prior alleged assaults or the infamous Access Hollywood tape. The decision marks the end of Trump’s legal fight over this specific case, with his lawyer calling the lawsuits “hoaxes” and a “Democrat-funded travesty.”
The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals had upheld the verdict, ruling that the disputed evidence established a “repeated, idiosyncratic pattern of conduct” consistent with Carroll’s allegations. Carroll accused Trump of assaulting her in a Bergdorf Goodman dressing room in 1996 and defaming her in 2022 when he called her claims a “complete con job.” The appeals court noted that in each of three encounters, Trump engaged in ordinary conversation before abruptly lunging at women in semi-public places.
This ruling is one of two major legal defeats for Trump in Carroll’s cases, with an $83.3 million defamation verdict still pending Supreme Court review. The Justice Department has indicated it will join Trump’s effort to challenge that larger award, which raises distinct legal issues because it involves comments he made while president. Carroll’s lawyer celebrated the decision as affirming “once and for all” the jury’s unanimous verdict, while Trump’s team maintains the allegations are false and politically motivated.
What to watch next: Whether the Supreme Court agrees to hear Trump’s appeal of the $83.3 million defamation verdict, and how the Justice Department’s involvement shapes the legal arguments around presidential immunity.
Key Takeaways
- The Supreme Court refused to hear Trump’s appeal, finalizing the $5 million sexual abuse and defamation verdict against him.
- The court allowed evidence of prior alleged assaults and the Access Hollywood tape, which the appeals court said showed a pattern of conduct.
- A separate $83.3 million defamation verdict against Trump is still pending Supreme Court review, with the Justice Department joining his appeal.
- Carroll’s legal victory underscores the durability of New York’s temporary statute of limitations lift for decades-old assault claims.
Insights & Analysis
- The Supreme Court’s refusal to intervene signals a reluctance to wade into evidentiary disputes in high-profile civil cases, even those involving a former president.
- The pending $83.3 million appeal could test the limits of presidential immunity for statements made while in office, potentially setting a broader precedent for executive accountability.