Updated Feb 25, 2024, 12:48pm EST
Topline
The New York judge who oversaw E. Jean Carroll’s defamation lawsuit against former President Donald Trump rejected the former president’s request to delay paying Carroll more than $80 million in damages, according to a Sunday court filing.
paying more than $80 million in damages to E. Jean Carroll. AP/Eduardo Munoz Alvarez
Key Facts
Trump’s lawyer, Alina Habba, requested an “administrative stay” on Friday to pause Trump’s required payments to Carroll after he made defaming statements against the former writer in 2019.
Kaplan ruled on Sunday he would not grant a pause without allowing Carroll and her team to respond and gave them until Thursday at 5 p.m. to respond to Trump’s motion.
In Habba’s Friday motion, she asked Kaplan to stay the motion for at least 30 days until Trump’s post-trial motions were resolved, claiming there was a “strong probability” the verdict could be reduced or eliminated on appeal.
Big Number
$83.3 million. That’s how much Trump was ordered to pay Carroll by a New York civil jury in January after he defamed Carroll. The damages include $65 million in punitive damages and $18.3 million in compensatory damages.
Surprising Fact
The more than $80 million Trump was ordered to pay Carroll makes up just a fraction of the hundreds of millions of dollars the former president has been ordered to pay in recent months. Earlier this month, a New York judge ruled Trump and his co-defendants would have to pay $364 million for fraudulently misstating the value of Trump and his company’s assets on financial statements in order to make the former president appear more wealthy.
What To Watch For
From the multiple cases Trump owes the state of New York more than $450 million, though it remains unclear exactly how Trump plans to pay his dues. To pay much of that he could use the roughly $400 million in liquid assets he has. Trump could also borrow against one of the 27 mortgage-free properties he owns across the country or even sell one.
Key Background
Carroll accused Trump of raping her in a Bergdorf Goodman’s dressing room in the 1990s. Trump responded to that allegation by saying he’s “never met this person in my life,” the incident “never happened,” and Carroll is “not my type.” Carroll sued Trump for defamation in 2019, alleging Trump’s reaction to her allegations caused her “emotional pain and suffering at the hands of the man who raped her, as well as injury to her reputation, honor and dignity.” It took years for the case to make it to trial because of a years-long legal dispute in which Trump argued he couldn’t be sued because he made the comments while acting in his official capacity as president. Since last month’s verdict, Trump has repeatedly said he would appeal. Meanwhile in a television interview, Carroll said if Trump continues to defame on social media she may sue again.
Tangent
Separately Carroll sued Trump for similar statements in 2022. The second lawsuit, which went to trial before the 2019 suit, was for both defamation and sexual assault. In May, a jury sided with Carroll and found Trump liable for sexually abusing Carroll, though the jury rejected her claim that Trump raped her. The jury also ordered Trump to pay Carroll $5 million in damages.
Further Reading MORE FROM FORBES Trump Must Pay E. Jean Carroll $83 Million For Defamation, Jury Rules By Alison Durkee MORE FROM FORBES Trump Lashes Out About Legal Woes In Michigan Speech-Blasts ‘Crooked Judge,’ Swipes Again At Carroll By Cailey Gleeson MORE FROM FORBES Here’s Why Trump Won’t Have To Sell Any Buildings To Come Up With $540 Million By Kyle Mullins
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I am a Washington D.C. based reporter. My previous work includes USA Today, E&E News, the Baltimore Sun, NBC News and Maryland Matters. I am a graduate of Saint Joseph’s University with a degree in political science. Email me at afaguy@forbes.com and follow me on Twitter @AnaFaguy.
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