Judge Signs Off on Trump’s Appeal Bond

(USNewsBreak.com) – A federal jury found former President Donald Trump guilty of defamation against E. Jean Carroll and ordered him to pay $83.3 million in damages. He has made it very clear that he intends to appeal the decision, but he had to secure a bond to do so and prevent Carroll from enforcing the judgment. He recently secured a bond agreement and presented it to the court, and the judge in the case signed off on it.

US District Judge Lewis Kaplan approved the $91.63 million bond, 110% of the judgment amount, on Tuesday, March 12. Trump had previously tried to move forward in appealing the case and sought a bond waiver or reduction in the amount, which Kaplan denied. Chubb, an insurance company, secured the bond. The company didn’t make public what assets, if any, they required Trump to use as security against the bond.

Judge approves Trump’s $91 million bond in E. Jean Carroll lawsuit https://t.co/jTXXRy78Xo

— FOX 5 San Diego (@fox5sandiego) March 12, 2024

Trump and his legal team believe the award, which included punitive and compensatory damages, was excessive. They’re suing to reduce the award or, as a long shot, secure its dismissal. Earlier this month, the former president’s lawyers filed a motion for a new trial in the case, stating the court severely limited Trump’s testimony, thus influencing the jury’s verdict.

Despite two determinations of defamation, Trump has not backed down on his attacks on Carroll. At a campaign rally, he said the award was “based on false accusations” from “a woman that [he] knew nothing about.” In an interview with CNBC’s “Squawk Box,” he denied ever having met her and said that people are refusing to move to New York “because of the kind of crap they’re pulling on [him].”

A jury originally held the former president liable for statements he made about the journalist in June 2019 while in office. That jury assessed damages because they determined he injured her. The original award was $5 million. However, when he spoke out about the verdict, Carroll took him back to court, resulting in the current penalties.