The U.S. Supreme Court issued an unsigned order on Monday, marking the second time the justices have declined to consider an appeal from Donald Trump regarding a jury’s determination that he is liable for the sexual abuse and defamation of writer E. Jean Carroll. This latest refusal to intervene essentially finalizes the legal outcome of the 2023 case, as the high court reiterated its previous position from June.
Roberta Kaplan, an attorney representing Carroll, expressed satisfaction with the court’s decision. She stated that her team is pleased the Supreme Court has once again declined to hear the case, noting that the jury’s unanimous verdict is now final and beyond further challenge in any court. Following the conclusion of the legal proceedings, Carroll received a total of $5.62 million this summer, an amount that accounts for the original damages plus accrued interest.
The underlying civil case, decided by a federal jury in 2023, stemmed from allegations that Trump forcefully penetrated Carroll with his fingers in a New York department store changing room during the 1990s and subsequently lied about the incident in 2019. The jury, comprised of six men and three women, reached their unanimous verdict after deliberating for less than three hours, concluding that the evidence supported Carroll’s claims.
Throughout the legal process, Trump has consistently denied the allegations, characterizing them as a “hoax” and questioning Carroll’s character. He did not attend the 2023 trial and called no witnesses. While he did testify briefly during a separate 2024 defamation trial—where a jury awarded Carroll more than $83 million—he left the courtroom shortly before the verdict was delivered. In that instance, Kaplan had urged jurors to award damages sufficient to ensure Trump would cease his defamatory remarks.
In his attempt to bring the case before the Supreme Court, Trump’s legal team argued that an appeals panel failed to properly address whether he possessed presidential immunity when making statements regarding Carroll. The Supreme Court has yet to issue a ruling on that specific immunity claim. Responding to Monday’s order, a spokesperson for Trump’s legal team issued a statement labeling the developments in the Carroll matters as a “Democrat-funded travesty of the Carroll Hoaxes,” echoing language used throughout the summer. The report also notes that a figure that included accrued interest in the years since the case went to trial, carroll ultimately received $5.62 million this summer.
Source: CBS News
