Court Rejects Trump’s Bid to Revisit E. Jean Carroll Case
A federal appeals court in New York has turned down President Donald Trump’s plea to revisit his legal battles against writer E. Jean Carroll, who accused him of defamation and sexual abuse, marking another chapter in a protracted legal saga over a substantial jury award.
Trump sought to substitute his name as the defendant with that of the United States, arguing that his comments about Carroll were made during his presidency, which he claims grants him some level of immunity.
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, comprising a three-judge panel, dismissed Trump’s appeal, opting not to entertain his latest claims. This decision follows a previous unsuccessful attempt by Trump to assert immunity from litigation based on a significant Supreme Court ruling.
For several years, Trump has been contesting the outcomes of two separate cases linked to Carroll’s allegations from 2019, where she accused him of lying about an assault that allegedly took place in a department store during the 1990s. Trump has persistently denied these allegations, labeling them as fabrications.
A representative from Trump’s legal team indicated plans to challenge this latest ruling. “The American People stand with President Trump in demanding an immediate end to the unlawful, radical weaponization of our justice system,” the spokesperson stated, further criticizing what they termed the “Witch Hunts” against Trump, including the “illegal, Democrat-funded travesty of the Carroll Hoaxes.”
In 2023, a jury found Trump liable for sexual abuse but not for rape, concluding that he had defamed Carroll, resulting in a $5 million award for her. The following year, another jury ruled against Trump for defamation after he claimed he had never met Carroll and suggested her allegations were fabricated to promote her book, leading to an $83.3 million judgment in her favor.
Trump’s appeal aimed at overturning the initial $5 million judgment was based on claims that the trial judge improperly allowed testimony from two women who accused him of sexual misconduct and permitted the infamous Access Hollywood tape to be presented in court.
After the appeals court's refusal, Trump escalated the matter to the U.S. Supreme Court, which is currently deliberating on the case.
The recent ruling from the appeals court also pertains to claims of presidential immunity stemming from a Supreme Court decision regarding immunity from criminal prosecution related to official acts.
With this latest rejection, Trump may now seek intervention from the Supreme Court concerning the $83.3 million judgment against him.
Roberta Kaplan, representing Carroll, expressed satisfaction with the Second Circuit's decision. “E. Jean Carroll is eager for this case, originally filed in 2019, to be over so that she can finally obtain justice,” Kaplan remarked in a statement.
