Fact Check: Federal Appeals Court Declines to Rehear Trump's Challenge to $5 Million Judgment
What We Know
On October 27, 2023, a federal appeals court, specifically the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, declined to rehear President Donald Trump's challenge to a $5 million civil judgment awarded to E. Jean Carroll. This judgment stemmed from a civil lawsuit in which Carroll accused Trump of sexual abuse and defamation related to events that allegedly occurred in the mid-1990s (AP News, BBC). The court's decision was made with an 8-2 vote, rejecting Trump's petition for a full rehearing of the case (Reuters).
The original jury verdict, which found Trump liable for sexual abuse and defamation, was delivered in May 2023. Carroll testified that Trump had assaulted her in a department store dressing room, and the jury awarded her damages after considering evidence, including testimony from other women who accused Trump of similar misconduct (Wikipedia, ABC News).
Analysis
The decision by the appeals court not to rehear the case confirms the previous ruling that upheld the jury's findings. The judges who voted against rehearing emphasized that merely re-litigating the case was not an appropriate use of the court's resources, suggesting that the issues at hand did not present a question of exceptional importance (AP News, BBC).
The dissenting opinion from the two judges appointed by Trump argued that the trial involved significant evidentiary errors, which they believed undermined the jury's verdict (Reuters, Yahoo News). However, the majority opinion reflects a consensus that the trial was conducted fairly and that the evidence presented was sufficient to support the jury's decision.
The credibility of the sources reporting on this case is generally high, with major news outlets like the Associated Press, Reuters, and the BBC providing coverage. These organizations have established reputations for journalistic integrity, although it is important to note that the dissenting judges were appointed by Trump, which could introduce a layer of bias in their perspective (Wikipedia, ABC News).
Conclusion
The claim that a federal appeals court declined to rehear President Donald Trump's challenge to a $5 million civil judgment on October 27, 2023, is True. The court's decision was based on a majority opinion that found no grounds for a rehearing, thereby upholding the previous jury's verdict against Trump. This outcome reflects the court's confidence in the integrity of the original trial and the evidence presented.
Sources
- US appeals court won't reconsider Trump's $5 million loss ...
- Court rejects Trump's appeal in E. Jean Carroll sexual ...
- Trump loses bid for appeals court to reconsider $5m loss ...
- E. Jean Carroll v. Donald J. Trump
- Appeals court rejects Trump's bid to challenge $5 million E ...
- NY appeals court rejects bid to overturn Trump's ...
