Appeals Court Upholds $83 Million Defamation Judgment Against Trump in E. Jean Carroll Case

The 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals has upheld the $83 million judgment against Donald Trump in the defamation case brought by E. Jean Carroll. The court affirmed that the jury's award was reasonable based on the evidence presented at trial. The district court's rulings and the jury's damages awards were upheld as reasonable given the case's extraordinary circumstances. The appeals panel rejected Trump's claim of presidential immunity for statements made while in office, noting his continued denials and public criticisms of Carroll even after an initial jury found his statements defamatory. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit issued a 70-page ruling affirming Carroll's truthfulness and rejecting Trump's claims. Trump's legal team called for a swift dismissal of the case, referring to it as a 'witch hunt,' and is seeking a review by the full bench of the 2nd Circuit. A federal appeals court will also hear Trump's request for Justice Department representation in future appeals, potentially to the Supreme Court, regarding a case where he claims immunity for statements made during his presidency. Previous courts have denied this request.

A federal appeals court has refused to reconsider a $5 million verdict against Donald Trump in favor of E. Jean Carroll. The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan upheld the jury's decision that Trump sexually assaulted and defamed Carroll, though it did not find him guilty of rape. The court also rejected Trump's argument that the Supreme Court's decision granting him criminal immunity shields him from civil liability. Trump's legal team is appealing to overturn an $83 million defamation verdict awarded to Carroll in January 2024, with oral arguments set for June 24. If the appeal of the $5 million verdict fails, they plan to take it to the U.S. Supreme Court. Carroll's lawyer, Roberta Kaplan, stated that Carroll is pleased with the verdict.