Appeals court declines to rehear Trump’s challenge to $83M E Jean Carroll verdict
April 30, 2026 | Frieda Powers
“In a split vote, a majority of the 12-member 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals denied Trump’s motion for a hearing by the full bench of judges, or an ‘en banc’ hearing,” NBC News reported on the president’s appeal of the verdict in the case brought by writer E. Jean Carroll who was awarded $83 million in 2024 after she claimed Trump had defamed her over an alleged sexual encounter three decades ago.
Trump’s legal team vowed to appeal, labeling the decision “Liberal Lawfare” in a statement after the court’s decision.
“The American People stand with President Trump in demanding an immediate end to the unlawful, radical weaponization of our justice system, and a swift dismissal of all of the Witch Hunts, including the illegal, Democrat-funded travesty of the Carroll Hoaxes—the defense of which the Attorney General has determined is legally required to be taken over by the Department of Justice because Carroll based her false claims on the President’s official acts.”
“A three-judge panel of the 2nd Circuit first rejected an appeal from Trump based on presidential immunity in September,” NBC News noted. “In his second appeal, Trump’s lawyers sought to replace the defendant with the United States and make another claim of presidential immunity, which the appeals court dismissed Wednesday.”
In a 34-page statement, Judge Denny Chin wrote: “The fact of the matter is that no other defendant would be permitted to move to substitute the United States in his place, fifteen months after trial and the entry of judgment against him.”
“The Court appropriately declined to convene en banc to revisit this issue,” he added.
Three of the 12-member panel, however, voted in favor of rehearing en banc.
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https://www.bizpacreview.com/2026/04/30/appeals-court-declines-to-rehear-trumps-challenge-to-83m-e-jean-carroll-verdict-1635942/
