The legal battle between former President Donald Trump and E. Jean Carroll has reached the nation’s highest court. Trump is now petitioning the Supreme Court to overturn a jury’s verdict finding him liable for sexually abusing and defaming Carroll, a former columnist for Elle magazine.
Trump’s legal team argues the original $5 million verdict stemmed from flawed evidentiary rulings during the trial. They contend the judge allowed Carroll’s lawyers to introduce damaging, yet unsubstantiated, evidence of past behavior – evidence they believe unfairly prejudiced the jury.
Throughout the proceedings, Trump has vehemently denied any wrongdoing, maintaining he never met Carroll and dismissing her allegations as fabricated. His lawyers emphasize the absence of physical evidence, eyewitnesses, or any official police report to support Carroll’s claims.
The lawsuit originated from Carroll’s 2019 book, where she publicly accused Trump of raping her in a New York City department store dressing room during the 1990s. Trump responded with forceful denials and public criticism, which subsequently formed the basis of Carroll’s defamation claim.
Trump’s lawyers accuse the trial judge of bending the rules of evidence to favor Carroll’s case, characterizing her assertions as implausible and lacking concrete support. They also argue the Second Circuit Court of Appeals’ decision conflicts with rulings from other federal courts regarding evidence standards.
Carroll’s legal team, however, remains confident in their case. They previously expressed skepticism that Trump could present any legitimate legal arguments warranting Supreme Court review.
The appeal to the Supreme Court is framed by Trump’s legal team as part of a broader fight against what they call “Liberal Lawfare,” alleging a politically motivated effort to undermine him through legal challenges.
An initial appeal to the Second Circuit was rejected in December 2024, with a three-judge panel upholding the original verdict. A subsequent petition for the full appellate court to review the case was also denied, leaving the Supreme Court as Trump’s final recourse.
This legal saga extends beyond the initial civil suit. Trump also faced a separate defamation trial, resulting in an additional $83.3 million judgment against him, a verdict also upheld by the Second Circuit and currently under appeal.
The Second Circuit panel deemed the $83.3 million in damages “fair and reasonable,” further solidifying the legal challenges facing the former president as he seeks to overturn these rulings.
