Keep Factually independent
Whether you agree or disagree with our analysis, these conversations matter for democracy. We don't take money from political groups - even a $5 donation helps us keep it that way.
Which courts handled the major Trump defamation and sexual misconduct cases and what were their rulings by year?
Executive summary
The most prominent sexual‑misconduct and related defamation rulings involving Donald Trump center on the E. Jean Carroll lawsuits: a May 2023 New York jury found Trump liable for sexual abuse and defamation and awarded $5 million, and a separate defamation verdict awarding roughly $83.3 million was later upheld on appeal in 2025 (appeals rulings cited in 2024–2025). Federal appeals courts have also dismissed or upheld dismissals in several high‑profile media defamation suits filed by Trump — for example, appeals panels rejected his claims against CNN (upheld dismissal in 2025) and a federal judge tossed a $15 billion suit against the New York Times in 2025 [1] [2] [3] [4].
1. E. Jean Carroll: Manhattan federal jury finds sexual abuse and defamation [5] — trial court verdict and immediate aftermath
A Manhattan federal jury in May 2023 found Trump liable by a preponderance for sexually abusing E. Jean Carroll in the 1990s and for defaming her, awarding $5 million in damages; the jury did not find him liable for rape, and the judge instructed jurors on distinct categories of sexual misconduct under New York law [1]. That 2023 civil verdict triggered appeals and counter‑motions; reporting notes Trump denied the allegations and appealed the rulings [1] [6].
2. Additional Carroll defamation verdict and the appellate trajectory (2024–2025)
A separate jury (sometimes described as Carroll II) later found Trump liable for repeating defamatory statements and awarded about $83.3 million; federal appeals courts in 2024 and 2025 rejected Trump’s challenges and upheld the damages, with the Second Circuit affirming at least one of those awards in 2025 [7] [2] [8]. The appeals court expressly addressed arguments over presidential immunity and procedural defenses, and judges emphasized that immunity did not bar the civil defamation claims in that posture [2] [8].
3. Supreme Court filings and ongoing appeals [9]
Following the appellate rulings, Trump sought further review. He asked the U.S. Supreme Court to hear appeals of the $5 million sexual‑abuse/defamation verdict and related rulings in November 2025, according to coverage of his petitions [6] [10]. Available sources do not detail any Supreme Court decision resolving those petitions as of the reporting in the provided materials (not found in current reporting).
4. Trump’s serial media defamation suits: forum shopping and early dismissals (2022–2025)
Trump has filed multiple large defamation suits against media organizations in federal courts — for example, his $475 million suit against CNN and a $15 billion suit against The New York Times and Penguin Random House — yet judges and appeals panels have frequently pushed back. A Florida federal judge tossed the $15 billion NYT suit in September 2025 for pleading problems and gave Trump leave to amend; an appellate panel affirmed a dismissal of his “Big Lie” suit against CNN in November 2025 [4] [3] [11].
5. Key appellate holdings and legal themes in media cases (what courts have said)
Appellate courts have repeatedly treated many contested media statements as opinion or non‑actionable rhetoric, and have required plaintiffs to show falsity and actual malice for public‑figure defamation claims. For instance, the appeals panel upholding the CNN dismissal found the network’s use of “Big Lie” was not a factual assertion readily provable true or false and therefore not defamatory [3] [12]. Other federal judges have dismissed complaints as procedurally defective or excessively long, as in the NYT filing remanded by Judge Steven Merryday [4] [13].
6. Broader pattern and numbers: volume, strategy, and competing perspectives
Reporting shows Trump or his businesses have driven a sharp spike in media‑related litigation since 2015, with dozens of suits filed or pending; outlets note both settlements and many judicial rejections, suggesting an aggressive litigation strategy that courts sometimes view skeptically [14] [15]. Proponents argue these suits hold media accountable; critics counter that many filings are meritless or strategically timed to chill reporting [15] [16].
7. Limitations, unanswered questions, and where to watch next
The record in the provided sources covers trials, appellate rulings, and some filings through late 2025 but does not report final Supreme Court dispositions of Carroll appeals or outcomes of all pending media suits (not found in current reporting). Future developments to watch include any Supreme Court decisions on the Carroll petitions, rehearings en banc in the circuits, and the fate of amended complaints such as the NYT case after the Florida court’s page‑limit order [6] [4].
Sources cited: E. Jean Carroll trial and appeals coverage [1] [6] [10], Second Circuit and other appellate rulings upholding $83.3M and $5M awards [2] [8] [17], appellate dismissals of media suits including CNN and NYT procedural dismissal [3] [12] [4], and analyses of Trump’s surge in media litigation [14] [15].