The Supreme Court on June 29 refused to review the 2023 civil verdict that ordered President Donald Trump to pay writer E. Jean Carroll $5 million for sexually abusing and defaming her. The justices cited no further review, even as Trump argued the presidency
For the second time in recent years, E. Jean Carroll is one step closer to collecting money from Donald Trump after the Supreme Court declined to intervene in her latest case.
On June 29, the court refused to review a 2023 jury verdict against Trump in a civil lawsuit brought by Carroll. The ruling leaves in place an order requiring Trump to pay $5 million to the writer for sexually abusing and defaming her. despite Trump’s argument that a president shouldn’t be forced to defend himself against decades-old allegations.
The Supreme Court has generally been receptive to Trump’s appeals involving actions connected to his presidency. often allowing controversial policies to move forward while they’re litigated. But this appeal was different. It was the first time since Trump’s return to office that he asked the court to weigh in on a personal legal matter.
Trump’s lawyers told the court that having to focus on decades-old claims was “deeply damaging to the fabric of our Republic. ” saying it would take him away from “his singular and unique duties as Chief Executive” to continue fighting “decades-old. false allegations.” They argued that Carroll waited more than 20 years to bring her claims—calling her “implausible. unsubstantiated assertions” an effort to “maximize political injury to him and profit for herself.”.
They also disputed how the trial was handled. The lawyers argued the jury should not have heard from two other women who alleged Trump assaulted them, and they objected to the introduction of the 2005 “Access Hollywood” recording, in which Trump bragged about grabbing women by their genitals.
In their filing, Trump’s team characterized Carroll’s allegations as matching “the plotline from an episode of one of admittedly her favorite TV shows, `Law & Order,’” and urged the court to overturn the judgment.
That is where the legal dispute runs into a stubborn wall of precedent and procedure. The New York-based 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals rejected Trump’s argument that the trial judge erred in allowing the contested evidence. Even if the judge made mistakes. the appeals court said in 2024 that. when the record is viewed as a whole and considering “the strength of Ms. Carroll’s case,” it wasn’t persuaded that any claimed errors—or combination of errors—affected Trump’s “substantial rights.”.
The Supreme Court’s refusal to review the case came as the court has held a 6-3 conservative majority and, in other matters, repeatedly signaled openness to Trump’s efforts to narrow legal risk connected to his presidency.
One contrast sits in the background of this case: during the 2024 presidential campaign. the Supreme Court’s ruling that former presidents have broad immunity from criminal prosecution for official acts weakened and delayed the federal criminal case against Trump over alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 election. Special Counsel Jack Smith dropped those criminal charges after Trump won the 2024 election because the Justice Department bars prosecutions of sitting presidents.
Still, the Carroll lawsuit is a civil matter, not criminal, and it stems from events long before Trump took office. The Supreme Court’s decision not to review the verdict means the $5 million judgment will stand.
Carroll’s path through the courts has involved multiple losses for Trump. In 2024. a New York jury said Trump had to pay Carroll $83.3 million over comments he made disputing the veracity of Carroll’s claims. Trump filed three appeals of that judgment, and the 2nd Circuit rejected each one. Trump’s lawyers have said they are preparing a Supreme Court appeal in that case.
The allegations at the center of Carroll’s lawsuits began years before the verdicts. Carroll said in 2019 that Trump sexually assaulted her at a New York City department store in 1996. Trump responded by alleging she was making up the story to sell her book. Carroll sued him months later and eventually won the $83.3 million judgment. As the case was ongoing, Trump repeated his denial in a 2022 social media post.
Carroll then sued again under a special window of time New York granted to sexual abuse survivors. In 2023, a New York jury found Trump liable for sexual abuse against Carroll, leading to the $5 million verdict that is now beyond Supreme Court review.
The court’s June 29 decision didn’t end the broader legal fight around Carroll and Trump. but it did close one door: the Supreme Court will not step in to stop Trump from having to pay the $5 million ordered in the civil suit. For Carroll. it marks another moment when the timeline moves—slowly. legally. and with money attached—while Trump’s argument that personal liability should yield to presidential duties runs out of room at the highest level.
Supreme Court E. Jean Carroll Donald Trump $5 million verdict jury verdict 2023 civil lawsuit defamation sexual abuse 2nd Circuit June 29 presidential immunity