Legal Team Moves to Execute Judgment
Attorneys for columnist E. Jean Carroll have filed a motion in federal court requesting the immediate release of a $5 million judgment awarded to their client following a 2023 jury verdict. The move comes one day after the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear an appeal from President Donald Trump, effectively ending his challenge to the initial ruling that found him liable for sexual abuse and defamation.
The $5 million in damages has been held in an escrow account pending the outcome of the appellate process. Carroll’s lead attorney, Roberta Kaplan, argued in the filing that the conditions for the disbursement of funds have been satisfied now that the Supreme Court has denied the petition for certiorari. “After four years of litigation across every level of the federal court system, it is time for this case to end,” Kaplan wrote.
Trump’s Response and Future Litigation
Despite the Supreme Court’s decision, representatives for President Trump have indicated a potential desire to request a reconsideration from the court. Carroll’s legal team, however, has firmly rejected requests for a further stay of enforcement, citing the explicit terms of the stipulation and order governing the escrowed funds.
In a public statement via his social media platform, President Trump vowed to continue his legal defense, characterizing the judgment as part of a broader “lawfare” campaign against him. While his legal team has approximately 25 days to file a request for reconsideration, the plaintiff’s attorneys have requested that the trial judge expedite the briefing schedule, aiming to conclude the matter by July 10.
The 2023 verdict centered on claims that Trump sexually abused Carroll in a Manhattan department store in the 1990s and subsequently defamed her in 2022. As this case moves toward final resolution, legal observers note that the president faces a separate, related $83 million judgment, which is also expected to be the subject of future Supreme Court petitions.