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Trump appeals $83.3m E Jean Carroll civil verdict to US Supreme Court
Al Jazeera • • general
Key Points:
- Personal lawyers for former President Donald Trump and the Department of Justice have petitioned the Supreme Court to overturn an $83.3 million defamation penalty awarded to writer E Jean Carroll.
- Both legal teams argue that Trump's statements about Carroll, who accused him of sexual assault, fall under presidential immunity protected by the Westfall Act and the precedent set in the 2024 Supreme Court case Trump v United States.
- The 2024 ruling expanded presidential immunity for official acts but currently applies only to criminal cases, not civil ones like Carroll’s defamation suit; Trump’s lawyers seek to extend this immunity to civil cases.
- Carroll has won two defamation lawsuits against Trump, with the latest $83.3 million verdict including punitive damages for sexual abuse and defamation, while Trump denies all allegations and claims immunity.
- The Supreme Court previously rejected an appeal on the smaller $5 million verdict, and it remains uncertain whether it will hear the appeal concerning the larger $83.3 million penalty.
