Supreme Court Rejects Trump’s Final Rehearing Petition in $5 Million E. Jean Carroll Civil Suit
Key Highlights of the Supreme Court Ruling
* End of Direct Appeals: The Supreme Court initially declined to review the trial court's verdict (Carroll II) in late June 2026. Trump’s legal counsel subsequently filed a petition for a rehearing—a rare procedure granted only under extraordinary or intervening legal circumstances. The justices rejected the petition without recorded dissents, adhering to customary high-court procedures.
* Verdict Made Legally Final: Following the ruling, Roberta Kaplan, lead counsel for Carroll, confirmed that the federal jury’s unanimous finding that Trump is liable for sexual abuse (battery) and civil defamation is now legally final and cannot be challenged in any court.
* Disbursement of Funds: Following the initial appellate review process, the primary judgment amount—which grew to approximately $5.8 million including court-accrued interest—was officially collected by Carroll’s legal team from a court-managed escrow account.
Case Background: Carroll II
| Legal Element | Details |
|---|---|
| Originating Allegation | A mid-1990s encounter in a changing room at the Bergdorf Goodman department store in Manhattan. |
| Statutory Framework | Filed in 2022 under New York’s Adult Survivors Act, which created a temporary window lifting the statute of limitations for civil sexual assault claims. |
| 2023 Jury Findings | A federal jury found Trump liable for battery (sexual abuse) and civil defamation for statements made in 2022 denying the allegations. The jury did not find him liable for rape under New York’s statutory definition at the time. |
| Financial Damages | $2 million for sexual abuse; $20,000 in punitive damages; $1.7 million for reputation repair; and $1 million in additional defamation damages. |
Legal Strategy & The "Interrelationship" Defense
In requesting the rehearing, Trump’s defense attorneys presented a specific evidentiary argument linking this case to a separate legal dispute:
* Cross-Case Evidence Argument: Trump's legal team contended that evidentiary rulings during the Carroll II trial permitted the inclusion of official comments and background statements that should have been excluded.
* Presidential Immunity Claim: His lawyers argued that because statements made in 2019 are central to a separate presidential immunity appeal, the high court should hold or reconsider the $5 million verdict until those broader executive immunity questions are settled.
* Court Action: The Supreme Court declined to hold or grant the rehearing request, rejecting the argument without issuing an opinion.
Distinct Active Litigation: The $83.3 Million Verdict (Carroll I)
This Supreme Court order applies exclusively to the $5 million judgment from the 2023 Carroll II trial. It remains separate from another ongoing appellate battle between Trump and Carroll:
* Secondary Defamation Judgment: In early 2024, a separate federal trial resulted in an $83.3 million judgment in compensatory and punitive damages over public statements Trump made in 2019 while serving in the White House.
* Pending Certiorari Petition: Trump’s legal team filed a formal petition asking the Supreme Court to review the $83.3 million verdict on presidential immunity grounds, asserting that comments made through official White House channels are immune from civil defamation liability.
* Timeline for Resolution: Carroll is scheduled to file her response to the $83.3 million appeal later in August 2026. The Supreme Court is not expected to review or decide whether to hear that separate case until after the start of its upcoming term in October 2026.
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