The Supreme Court on Monday rejected President Donald Trump’s final bid to overturn a $5 million civil verdict won by writer E. Jean Carroll, leaving intact a jury finding that he sexually abused and defamed her.
Justices Leave Lower Court Ruling Intact
The order ends Trump’s appeal in the smaller of two federal civil cases Carroll brought against him. Trump had asked the high court to review trial rulings that allowed jurors to hear evidence his lawyers said was unfairly prejudicial. The case reached the Supreme Court after the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the verdict. The petition was docketed November 13, 2025, after the appeals court denied rehearing earlier that year.
Jury Found Trump Liable in Civil Case
Carroll sued Trump after accusing him of assaulting her inside a Bergdorf Goodman dressing room in Manhattan in the mid-1990s. Trump denied the allegation and said Carroll fabricated the account. A federal jury in 2023 found Trump liable for sexual abuse and defamation. The jury did not find him liable for rape under the specific legal question presented at trial.
Appeal Focused on Evidence at Trial
Trump’s lawyers argued that U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan made errors during the trial. They challenged his decision to allow testimony from two women who alleged Trump had assaulted them years earlier. They also objected to the jury seeing the 2005 “Access Hollywood” recording. Trump’s team argued that the evidence should have been excluded because it risked unfair prejudice.
Two Carroll Cases Took Different Paths
Carroll’s litigation against Trump involved two separate cases. They were filed years apart and moved through court in an unusual order. Her first lawsuit was filed in 2019 after Trump denied her accusation while he was president. That case focused on defamation tied to those earlier statements.
Larger $83.3 Million Judgment Remains Separate.
Carroll’s 2019 defamation case went to trial later and produced a much larger verdict. A separate jury awarded her $83.3 million in January 2024. That award focused on Trump’s 2019 statements denying Carroll’s allegation. The judgment included compensatory and punitive damages.
Trump Maintains His Denial
Trump has repeatedly denied Carroll’s allegation. His lawyers have described the case as unfair and have argued that evidence admitted at trial distorted the jury’s view of the facts. His Supreme Court filing also argued that continued litigation against a sitting president created an improper burden.
The filing framed the case as damaging to the presidency because it required Trump to defend against decades-old claims while carrying out official duties.
Payment Now Moves Closer
The practical effect of the Supreme Court order is immediate. Carroll’s $5 million judgment now stands after review by the trial court, the appeals court and the Supreme Court’s screening process.
Trump’s earlier deposit of money tied to the verdict could make payment faster than in cases where a losing party has not secured the judgment. The court-controlled funds were intended to preserve the money while appeals proceeded.
