As Donald Trump continues to fight against paying out a £4.6 million compensation award to E. Jean Carroll following her high-profile defamation and sexual abuse lawsuit victory in 2023, a new twist has emerged. The latest development comes after the US Supreme Court's decision on June 29 not to review Trump's appeal in the case, paving the way for Carroll's legal team to request that the funds be released.
Carroll's lawyers claim they are entitled to the money due under the judgment, which was deposited into a court-controlled account after Trump was found liable. However, Trump's legal team is challenging this interpretation, citing an agreement between both parties that they believe does not permit collection while their petition for reconsideration remains unresolved.
Roberta Kaplan, lead attorney for Carroll, argues that releasing the funds before a decision on the reconsideration request would have no significant impact on her client. She claims that Trump's lawyers are attempting to delay the inevitable and that Carroll is entitled to receive the money due under the judgment, despite any potential temporary delay.
In their petition filed on July 6 for the Supreme Court to reconsider its denial, Trump's legal team argues that releasing the funds would cause "irreparable harm" to the former US President. They claim that Carroll would only face a "temporary delay, fully compensable by interest" if the funds are not immediately released.
The latest move in this long-running case has significant implications for British readers, as it highlights the ongoing tensions between Trump and his accusers. The saga also underscores the complexities of international jurisdiction and the challenges that arise when dealing with high-profile cases across different legal systems.