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Trump seeks Supreme Court review of $5m Carroll verdict
Former President Donald Trump has filed a petition with the US Supreme Court to overturn a $5 million civil judgment that found he defamed and sexually abused writer E. Jean Carroll in the 1990s, according to court documents. The move marks his final legal avenue to challenge the unanimous jury verdict, though the Court's decision to hear the case remains uncertain.
Core arguments in the appeal
Trump's legal team argues that Judge Lewis Kaplan, who presided over the 2023 trial, improperly allowed jurors to review the 2005 Access Hollywood tape-where Trump is heard making vulgar comments about groping women-claiming it prejudiced the jury. The petition asserts Carroll's allegations lack corroboration, stating, "There were no eyewitnesses, no video evidence, and no police report or investigation."
The filing also accuses Carroll, 81, of timing her accusations for political and financial gain, noting she came forward "more than 20 years" after the alleged incident-after Trump became president. Carroll's attorney, Roberta Kaplan, declined to comment on the appeal.
Legal background and prior rulings
A New York jury awarded Carroll $5 million in May 2023, concluding Trump sexually abused her in a Manhattan department store dressing room and later defamed her by calling the claim a "hoax" on his Truth Social platform. A federal appeals court upheld the verdict in June 2024, rejecting Trump's request for a retrial. Separately, a second jury in January 2024 ordered Trump to pay Carroll an additional $83 million for further defamatory statements; that ruling was also upheld on appeal in September.
The Supreme Court petition follows Trump's unsuccessful bid to have the full bench of the federal appeals court rehear the case. Legal observers note the Court accepts fewer than 1% of petitions, making the likelihood of review slim.
Key details of the allegations
Carroll, a former magazine columnist, sued Trump in 2019, alleging he attacked her in a Bergdorf Goodman dressing room in the mid-1990s. While the jury found Trump liable for sexual abuse and defamation, it rejected Carroll's claim of rape under New York's penal code. Trump has consistently denied the allegations, publicly stating Carroll was "not my type" and accusing her of lying.
The defamation stemmed from Trump's 2022 social media post dismissing Carroll's account as "a complete con job" and part of a "political witch hunt." Carroll's legal team argued the statements further damaged her reputation, leading to the second, larger damages award.
Next steps
The Supreme Court will decide in the coming months whether to grant certiorari-the formal term for reviewing the case. If declined, the $5 million judgment, along with the $83 million defamation penalty, will stand. Trump's legal challenges to the latter remain pending in the appeals process.
