A federal appeals court in the United States has turned down former President Donald Trump’s attempt to postpone the release of $5.8 million to E. Jean Carroll. This amount is owed to the writer after her victorious sexual abuse and defamation lawsuit concluded in 2023. The court’s decision comes after Trump contested a lower court’s directive to distribute the funds, which had been kept in a court-supervised account during the ongoing appeals process. This sum comprises the initial $5 million ruling alongside accumulated interest.
The recent ruling from the appeals court aligns with a prior decision by the U.S. Supreme Court, which declined to hear an appeal from Trump, thereby upholding the original judgment. Judge Lewis Kaplan emphasized that the legal avenues had been thoroughly pursued and concluded, asserting that the time had come to settle the judgment by releasing the funds.
Throughout this legal battle, Trump has consistently refuted the allegations made by Carroll and has continued to contest the legal interpretation concerning the release of the funds. His legal team has been actively challenging the outcome, maintaining a stance against the lower court’s decision.
The refusal by the Supreme Court to intervene in the appeal process marks a significant point in this case, effectively cementing the appellate court’s decision. This development underscores the end of the judicial process surrounding this particular monetary judgment, signaling the closure of this chapter in Carroll’s lawsuit against Trump.