The United States Supreme Court has rejected Donald Trump's final bid to overturn the civil verdict in the lawsuit brought by writer E. Jean Carroll, effectively ending his legal challenges in the case. The court declined to reconsider a lower court ruling that had upheld a jury verdict finding Trump liable for sexual abuse and defamation and ordering him to pay approximately $5 million in damages.
The Supreme Court's refusal to hear the appeal means the verdict and damages award are now final. Trump had sought to have the high court reconsider the case after exhausting appeals at the lower federal court level. The justices offered no explanation for their decision not to take up the case, which is standard practice when the court declines to grant certiorari.
Carroll, a former magazine columnist, first brought the lawsuit after Trump publicly denied her account of a sexual assault she alleged occurred in a Manhattan department store dressing room in the mid-1990s. A New York jury found Trump liable in May 2023, and a separate jury awarded additional damages in a subsequent trial. Trump has consistently denied Carroll's allegations.
With the Supreme Court's denial, Carroll's legal team indicated the damages judgment will stand. The ruling closes one of several significant civil legal matters Trump has faced alongside ongoing criminal proceedings. The case drew widespread attention for its implications regarding a sitting and former president's accountability in civil court.
Left-Leaning Emphasis
- The Guardian frames the decision as a significant legal accountability moment for Trump, emphasizing Carroll's vindication after years of public denial by Trump.
- Left-leaning outlets highlight the broader context of Trump facing multiple legal challenges and underscore the jury's original finding of sexual abuse liability.
Right-Leaning Emphasis
- Breitbart characterizes the court's action narrowly as a denial of a request to reconsider, framing it in procedural rather than moral terms.
- Breitbart's coverage omits broader characterizations of the verdict's significance, focusing on the technical legal step rather than its implications for Trump.