No. 25-573October Term 2025DismissedUpdated Sep 2, 2026
Trump v. E. Jean Carroll
Donald J. Trump v. E. Jean Carroll
The Supreme Court dismissed Donald Trump’s petition seeking review of evidentiary rulings in E.
Case status
- Current stage
- Dismissed
- Latest event
- Dismissed
- Next
- Argument not yet scheduledArgument expected next term.
- What it's about
The Supreme Court dismissed Donald Trump’s petition seeking review of evidentiary rulings in E. Jean Carroll’s civil case, leaving in place the lower-court judgment and the jury’s $5 million verdict finding Trump liable for sexual abuse and defamation. The Court did not decide the evidentiary questions on the merits.
Question presented
1. Whether Federal Rule of Evidence 415 overrides Rule 403’s requirement to balance the probative value of temporally remote propensity evidence against its prejudicial effect before such evidence can be admitted? 2. Whether Federal Rule of Evidence 413(d) authorizes the admission of temporally remote propensity evidence that the defendant committed the “crime” of “sexual assault” when the alleged prior act did not constitute a crime or a sexual assault? 3. Whether Federal Rule of Evidence 404(b)(2) permits the admission of “modus operandi” or “corroboration” evidence of prior “bad acts” without establishing a non-propensity purpose of the evidence, such as identity, absence of mistake, or another enumerated exception in Rule 404(b)(2)?
- Case path
United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit / Dismissed
- Area
Dismissed Supreme Court case
Briefing
What it's about
Donald Trump challenges evidentiary decisions in E. Jean Carroll's case. He argues that federal rules did not permit the jury to hear certain evidence about earlier alleged conduct.
Argument
The case has not been scheduled for oral argument. Trump argues that the lower court misapplied federal evidence rules concerning past-act evidence.
Impact
The dispute could affect which past-act evidence federal courts allow in civil sexual-assault cases. For example, plaintiffs and defendants could face different limits on using old allegations to support or challenge a claim.
What's next
Watch for oral argument or another scheduling move from the Court. No decision window is available yet.
What is at stake in Trump v. Carroll?
The case asks whether federal evidence rules allowed a jury to consider certain evidence about earlier alleged conduct in Carroll's civil case.
Who could be affected by this evidence dispute?
People bringing or defending federal civil sexual-assault cases could be affected. Courts may face questions about admitting old past-act evidence.
What happens next in Trump v. Carroll?
The next possible milestone is an oral-argument date or another Court scheduling action. No decision window is set.
Documents
Activity
Docket activity2
AI analysis generated: Case Briefing
Sep 2, 2026 | Generated
Brief added: Petition
Nov 10, 2025 | Court records
Grounding
- Grounding
- Primary materials plus reporting.
- Note
- Best-effort analysis: this explainer relies on a mix of primary materials and trusted secondary sources. Official filings and opinions remain authoritative.
- Checked
- Sep 2, 2026
- Method
- Methodology