Advice columnist E. Jean Carroll filed papers in Manhattan federal court on Tuesday requesting a judge to compel President Donald Trump to pay her nearly $5.8 million following the Supreme Court’s refusal to hear his appeal. The filing comes one day after the nation’s highest court declined to consider Trump’s challenge to a 2023 civil jury verdict that found he sexually abused Carroll in the 1990s and defamed her.
The original jury verdict awarded Carroll $5 million, but that amount has grown to nearly $5.8 million with accumulated interest. Carroll, now 82 years old, has waited years for the payment while Trump pursued multiple appeals through the court system.
Supreme Court Declines to Hear Trump Appeal
The Supreme Court on Monday refused to hear Trump’s appeal of the 2023 civil jury verdict. The court expressed no division in its decision not to take up the case, effectively ending Trump’s legal options to challenge the verdict through the high court.
According to Carroll’s testimony during the original trial, she was sexually abused by Trump in the spring of 1996 in a dressing room of a midtown Manhattan luxury department store. Trump did not attend the trial. Carroll first publicly described the attack in 2019.
Trump’s lawyers contacted Carroll’s attorneys minutes after Trump’s social media response to the Supreme Court’s action, in which he described it as a “Weaponization and Lawfare Case.”
Carroll’s Legal Team Ends Cooperation on Delays
In their Tuesday filing, Carroll’s lawyers made clear that they would no longer agree to postponements. The legal team, which includes Roberta Kaplan, D. Brandon Trice, and Maximilian T. Crema, stated their position firmly in court documents.
“To date, Carroll has agreed to each of Defendant’s many requests to delay the payment he owes her. Given the extraordinary lengths he has taken to avoid such payments and that each of those efforts has been denied in full, that cooperation ends today. It is time for him to pay Carroll,” the filing stated.
Trump’s lawyers have requested a delay while asking the Supreme Court to reconsider its decision. However, Carroll’s legal team has rejected any further delays in the payment process.
What We Know So Far
The case stems from a 2023 civil jury verdict in which a jury found Trump liable for sexually abusing Carroll and defaming her. The jury awarded Carroll $5 million in damages. With interest, that amount has now grown to nearly $5.8 million.
Carroll testified that the assault occurred in the spring of 1996 at a midtown Manhattan luxury department store. She kept the incident private for decades before publicly discussing it in 2019.
Trump did not appear at the trial and has continued to challenge the verdict through the appeals process. The Supreme Court’s Monday decision not to hear his appeal represents a significant setback to those efforts.
This case is separate from another legal matter involving Carroll. Trump is also appealing $83 million in defamation compensation from a separate trial that took place in January 2024. That trial was presided over by Judge Lewis A. Kaplan, who is unrelated to Carroll’s attorney Roberta Kaplan.
What Happens Next
Carroll’s Tuesday filing asks the court to require Trump to pay the nearly $5.8 million award. The court will need to rule on the disbursement of funds.
Trump’s legal team has requested that the Supreme Court reconsider its decision not to hear the appeal, though Carroll’s attorneys have indicated they will not agree to further delays while that request is pending.
The timeline for the court’s decision on the payment disbursement remains unclear.
Two Separate Legal Cases
It is important to distinguish between the two separate legal matters involving Carroll and Trump. The current filing relates to the 2023 verdict that awarded Carroll $5 million, which has grown to nearly $5.8 million with interest.
A separate case resulted in an $83 million defamation verdict against Trump in January 2024. Trump is appealing that verdict separately. The two cases, while both involving Carroll as the plaintiff, are distinct legal proceedings with different awards and different stages in the appeals process.
Background on the Original Verdict
The 2023 civil jury verdict concluded that Trump sexually abused Carroll and defamed her. Carroll testified about an encounter in the spring of 1996 at a midtown Manhattan luxury department store dressing room.
Carroll kept the incident private for many years. She first publicly described the attack in 2019, decades after it allegedly occurred. The decision to come forward publicly led to the legal proceedings that resulted in the 2023 verdict.
Trump chose not to attend the trial. He has maintained his position challenging the verdict through the legal system, pursuing appeals that have now reached and been rejected by the Supreme Court.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does Trump owe E. Jean Carroll?
The original 2023 jury verdict awarded Carroll $5 million. With accumulated interest, that amount has grown to nearly $5.8 million. This is separate from an $83 million verdict from January 2024 that Trump is appealing.
Did the Supreme Court rule on the E. Jean Carroll case?
The Supreme Court refused to hear Trump’s appeal on Monday, expressing no division in its decision. This effectively upholds the 2023 jury verdict finding Trump liable for sexually abusing and defaming Carroll.
When did E. Jean Carroll allege the assault occurred?
Carroll testified that the sexual abuse occurred in the spring of 1996 in a dressing room of a midtown Manhattan luxury department store. She first publicly discussed the attack in 2019.
Is Trump appealing other verdicts involving E. Jean Carroll?
Yes, Trump is separately appealing an $83 million defamation verdict from a January 2024 trial. That case was presided over by Judge Lewis A. Kaplan.
Current Status of the Case
With the Supreme Court declining to hear the appeal, Carroll’s legal team has moved swiftly to secure payment. The Tuesday filing in Manhattan federal court represents the latest development in a case that has moved through multiple levels of the judicial system.
Carroll’s attorneys have made clear that years of accommodating delay requests have ended. The 82-year-old advice columnist is now seeking to collect the nearly $5.8 million she was awarded, plus interest.
Trump’s legal team has not responded to requests for comment on the latest filing. The court will determine the next steps in the payment process.
