A federal appeals court panel ruled Monday that a jury’s decision requiring former President Donald Trump to pay writer E. Jean Carroll more than $83 million in damages for defamation was “fair and reasonable.” The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit stated in a unanimous opinion that the district court did not err and the damages were justified given the “extraordinary and egregious facts” of the case.
The case began in 2019 when Carroll accused Trump of sexually assaulting her decades earlier. Trump’s lawyers argued presidential immunity, trial errors, and excessive damages, but the appeals court rejected these claims.
Carroll previously won a 2023 trial where a New York jury awarded her $5 million, finding Trump liable for sexual abuse and defamation. That verdict was upheld by the same appeals court in June. In 2024, a separate jury considered additional defamatory remarks by Trump, who reportedly made disruptive comments during the trial.
Trump’s statements included denials of Carroll’s allegations and claims she fabricated them. Evidence showed Carroll suffered significant reputational and personal harm. Carroll’s attorney, Roberta Kaplan, urged the jury to award damages sufficient to “make him stop” defaming her client.
Sources
- CBS News
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