The U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear an appeal from Donald Trump regarding a jury verdict in a sexual abuse and defamation case [1].
The decision leaves a $5 million judgment against the former president intact [1]. This ruling marks the end of the legal road for Trump's efforts to overturn the liability finding in the case brought by writer E. Jean Carroll [2].
In June 2026, the court announced it would not grant certiorari, which is the process of agreeing to review a lower-court decision [2]. By declining the request, the high court ensured that the previous legal findings remain binding [3].
Trump had argued that the lower court improperly admitted certain evidence during the trial [3]. Specifically, his legal team challenged the inclusion of the "Access Hollywood" tape as a basis for the verdict [3].
The original jury found Trump liable for the sexual abuse and subsequent defamation of Carroll [1]. The $5 million award was intended to compensate Carroll for the damages resulting from those actions [1].
Because the Supreme Court did not intervene, the legal process now moves toward the enforcement of the judgment [2]. The court's refusal to hear the case is a common outcome for many petitions, but it carries significant weight in high-profile civil litigation involving public figures [3].
“The U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear an appeal from Donald Trump regarding a jury verdict”
The Supreme Court's refusal to review the case effectively exhausts Trump's primary legal avenues for challenging the liability finding. By leaving the $5 million verdict in place, the court affirms the validity of the trial process and the evidence admitted, including the "Access Hollywood" tape, which the defense argued was unfairly used.
