Supreme Court declines Trump's appeal of Carroll verdict

The Supreme Court declined Monday to hear President Donald Trump's appeal of a jury verdict holding him liable for sexual assault and defamation in a case brought by writer E. Jean Carroll.

Trump had asked the justices to overturn the judgment, which a federal jury issued in January 2024. The Court's refusal to take the case means the verdict stands without further review by the nation's highest court.

A Manhattan jury found Trump liable for sexual abuse and defamation after Carroll alleged he assaulted her in a department store dressing room in the 1990s. Trump denied the allegation. The jury awarded Carroll $83.3 million in damages.

Trump's legal team had argued the Court should hear the case, but the justices did not grant his petition. The Supreme Court receives thousands of such petitions annually and accepts only a small fraction for full review.

The case originated in New York state court before moving to federal court. Carroll's lawsuit centered on statements Trump made denying her account and questioning her credibility. Trump's lawyers contended he made those statements in his official capacity as president, which they argued shielded him from liability under federal law.

A federal appeals court previously upheld portions of the judgment while modifying the damages award related to defamation claims. That ruling led to Trump's Supreme Court petition.

Carroll brought the case under New York's adult survivors act, a law that temporarily suspended the statute of limitations for sexual abuse claims. She has pursued separate legal action against Trump in other matters.

The Supreme Court's decision represents a significant moment in the ongoing litigation surrounding Trump. Multiple legal challenges involving the former and current president remain in various stages of proceedings across federal and state courts.

Trump has faced numerous lawsuits during and after his presidency. Beyond the Carroll case, he confronts civil litigation related to alleged financial misconduct and separate criminal charges in multiple jurisdictions.