On March 11, 2022, Kaplan Hecker & Fink LLP attorneys representing E. Jean Carroll, led by Roberta (“Robbie”) Kaplan and Joshua Matz, secured an important win in her defamation case against former President Trump. U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan rejected Trump’s attempt to amend his complaint and bring counterclaims and seek financial damages against Carroll.
Carroll originally sued Trump in 2019, alleging defamation after Trump made false statements in response to Carroll stating that Trump sexually assaulted her two decades ago. In a December 2021 filing, Trump sought to amend his answer to the 2019 lawsuit to include both an affirmative defense and counterclaim under New York’s 2020 amended Anti Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation statute, known as an anti-SLAPP law.
In his ruling, U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan stated the former president’s proposed amendment against Carroll was a “futile” and “bad faith” attempt to delay the case further, citing a history of past delays.