A federal appeals court on Monday rejected President-elect Donald Trump’s attempt to overturn a 2023 verdict that found him liable for sexually abusing writer E. Jean Carroll.
“On review for abuse of discretion, we conclude that Mr. Trump has not demonstrated that the district court erred in any of the challenged rulings,” the U.S. Second Court of Appeals decided.
In 2023, a jury found Trump liable for sexually abusing Carroll in a Bergdorf Goodman dressing room in 1996. The former Elle columnist was awarded $5 million in the case. In a separate case, Trump was found guilty of defamation against Carroll while he was president.
Trump denied all allegations against him and appealed the verdict. He claimed that the judge who presided over the case violated his rights by allowing Carroll to present evidence that suggested Trump had sexually abused other women.
But the appeals court asserted that the judge did not violate Trump’s rights. “Further, he has not carried his burden to show that any claimed error or combination of claimed errors affected his substantial rights as required to warrant a new trial,” the filing reads.
Carroll’s attorney, Roberta Kaplan, said in a statement that she and Carroll are “gratified” by the decision. "We thank the Second Circuit for its careful consideration of the parties' arguments."
The ruling presents a significant legal setback for the President-elect, who will be inaugurated next month. He could appeal the case to the Supreme Court.
Trump is also appealing the defamation judgment against him in which Carroll was awarded $83 million.
"The American People have re-elected President Trump with an overwhelming mandate, and they demand an immediate end to the political weaponization of our justice system and a swift dismissal of all of the Witch Hunts," Trump spokesperson Steven Cheung said in a statement.
