E. Jean Carroll Wins As Supreme Court Rejects Trump Appeal
The U.S. Supreme Court has declined to hear President Donald Trump‘s appeal challenging the $5 million civil judgment awarded to writer E. Jean Carroll, bringing an end to one of the most closely watched civil cases involving the president. By refusing to review the case, the nation’s highest court leaves intact a 2023 jury verdict finding Trump liable for sexually abusing Carroll in the mid-1990s and later defaming her by denying her allegations in 2022.
The Supreme Court denied Trump’s petition without comment, which is standard practice when the justices decline to hear an appeal. The decision allows the judgment entered by the lower courts to remain in full effect. Trump had argued that legal errors during the trial justified Supreme Court review, but fewer than four justices voted to hear the case, ending his final direct appeal of the $5 million verdict.
The lawsuit was brought by Carroll, a former Elle magazine columnist, who alleged that Trump sexually assaulted her in a department store dressing room in New York during the mid-1990s. Trump consistently denied the allegation, claiming he never assaulted Carroll and did not know her. After Trump publicly dismissed her accusations in 2022, Carroll filed a defamation lawsuit under New York’s Adult Survivors Act, which temporarily allowed survivors of alleged sexual abuse to pursue otherwise time-barred civil claims.
Following a two-week trial in 2023, a federal jury found Trump liable for sexually abusing Carroll and for defaming her after she publicly accused him. The jury awarded approximately $5 million in compensatory and punitive damages. Although the jurors did not find Trump liable for rape under New York’s then-existing legal definition, they concluded that he had sexually abused Carroll and harmed her reputation through defamatory statements.
Trump challenged the verdict before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, arguing that the trial judge improperly admitted evidence from other women who accused him of sexual misconduct, as well as excerpts from the 2005 “Access Hollywood” recording. His attorneys contended that the additional evidence unfairly prejudiced the jury and deprived him of a fair trial. The Second Circuit rejected those arguments and affirmed the verdict, concluding that the evidence was properly admitted under the applicable rules of evidence.
Trump then asked the Supreme Court to review the case, asserting that the lower courts had misapplied evidentiary standards and raising additional legal arguments concerning presidential immunity and the fairness of the proceedings. The justices declined to hear the appeal, leaving the appellate court’s ruling unchanged. The Court did not explain its reasoning, consistent with its usual practice in denying review.
Following the Supreme Court’s action, Carroll’s attorney, Roberta Kaplan, described the decision as the final step in holding Trump accountable for the conduct found by the jury. Trump criticized the outcome, maintaining that the case was politically motivated and that he had been treated unfairly throughout the litigation.
The ruling affects only the $5 million judgment arising from the first Carroll case. Trump separately faces an $83.3 million judgment in a second defamation lawsuit brought by Carroll over statements he made in 2019 while serving as president. That separate judgment remains under appeal and was not before the Supreme Court in this case.
The Supreme Court’s decision does not establish new legal precedent because it simply declined to review the case. However, it makes the lower court’s judgment final and enforceable. The case also highlights the high threshold for Supreme Court review, as the Court accepts only a small percentage of petitions each year.
With the appeal process exhausted, the $5 million judgment stands as a final legal determination. While the Supreme Court’s refusal to hear the case does not endorse the lower court’s reasoning, it leaves intact the jury’s findings and the appellate court’s decision affirming the verdict.
⚖️ Key Legal Outcomes
- The U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear Trump’s appeal.
- The $5 million judgment in favor of E. Jean Carroll remains in effect.
- The Court left intact the Second Circuit’s decision affirming the jury verdict.
- The jury previously found Trump liable for sexual abuse and defamation.
- Trump’s separate appeal involving the $83.3 million Carroll defamation judgment remains pending.
📌 Why It Matters
- Ends Trump’s direct appeal of the $5 million verdict.
- Makes the civil judgment against Trump final.
- Reinforces the limited circumstances in which the Supreme Court grants review.
- Leaves unresolved Trump’s separate appeal of the larger $83.3 million defamation award.
- Marks another significant legal milestone involving a sitting U.S. president.
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