Trump asks Supreme Court to overturn E Jean Carroll verdict

November 11, 2025

Former President Donald Trump has petitioned the US Supreme Court to overturn a $5 million civil verdict that found him liable for sexually abusing and defaming writer E Jean Carroll in a case stemming from an alleged 1990s incident. Trump's legal team argues that the trial judge improperly admitted evidence, including the 2005 Access Hollywood tape, though a federal appeals court previously upheld the verdict and found no judicial errors warranting a new trial. Separately, Trump was ordered to pay Carroll an additional $83 million in damages for subsequent defamatory statements he made about the case, which he is also appealing.

Who is affected

Donald Trump (former president facing $88 million in combined judgments)
E Jean Carroll (81-year-old former magazine columnist and plaintiff)
Judge Lewis Kaplan (trial judge criticized by Trump's legal team)
Roberta Kaplan (Carroll's attorney)
The jury members who reached the verdicts in both cases

What action is being taken

Trump is petitioning the US Supreme Court to review the $5 million civil case verdict
Trump is asking the full bench of judges at a federal appeals court to review the separate $83 million defamation judgment

Why it matters

This case represents significant legal and financial consequences for a former US president, involving substantial monetary damages totaling $88 million for sexual abuse and defamation. The Supreme Court's decision on whether to hear the case will determine if Trump has exhausted all legal options to overturn jury verdicts that found he sexually abused Carroll and repeatedly defamed her. The case also highlights questions about accountability for powerful political figures and the admissibility of character evidence in civil trials.

What's next

No explicit next steps stated in the article

Read full article from source: BBC