On Monday, former President Donald Trump made a significant legal move by petitioning the Supreme Court to overturn a jury verdict that found him liable for sexually abusing writer E. Jean Carroll in the mid-1990s. This request, filed by Trump’s personal legal team, marks a crucial moment in a lengthy legal battle that has persisted for years.

E. Jean Carroll, a writer, has twice taken Trump to court, securing a total of $88.3 million in damages through these trials. This petition is the first instance where the ongoing litigation has reached the nation’s highest court.

The initial verdict in 2023 determined that Trump was responsible for sexually assaulting Carroll in a dressing room of a Manhattan department store during the 1990s. Additionally, he was found guilty of defaming her by dismissing her allegations as false when she stepped forward during his presidency. As a result, Trump was ordered to pay $5 million in damages.