Donald Trump and his legal team are pushing for more delays in the defamation lawsuit filed by E. Jean Carroll, despite a clear judicial directive to expedite the case. Last week, Judge Lewis Kaplan (no relation to Carroll’s lawyer) moved to speed up the briefing process on Carroll’s request for the disbursement of nearly $5.8 million. This sum has been held in court escrow since a jury in May 2023 found Trump guilty of sexual assault and defamation against Carroll.

However, Trump’s lawyers filed a motion on July 3 to amend Judge Kaplan’s order, ostensibly seeking to "reinstate the normal briefing schedule." This request appears to be a tactic to buy time, as Trump’s new lawyer, Josh Halpern, takes over from Justin Smith, who was recently confirmed to the Eighth Circuit. Trump’s team argues the need for more time to prepare for a potential reconsideration request to the Supreme Court, following its recent denial of Trump’s petition for certiorari.

Roberta Kaplan, Carroll’s attorney, was quick to respond, pointing out the redundancy of Trump’s motion, given that another attorney, Michael Madaio, has been involved from the start and is well-acquainted with the case. Moreover, she highlighted attempts by Trump’s Justice Department to prosecute Carroll over her deposition statements about legal fee arrangements, which have since been clarified.

In 2020, Carroll mentioned under deposition that her case was handled on a contingency basis, later clarifying that her legal team had secured nonprofit funding to cover some expenses. This revelation led to a brief investigation by the DOJ, which was dropped amid significant public and media backlash, asserting no criminal probe into Carroll's actions was ever pursued.

The situation took another turn when the conservative group National Legal and Policy Center filed a bar complaint against Kaplan, questioning the handling of legal fees funded by Reid Hoffman’s nonprofit, American Future Republic. The complaint suggests a potential miscommunication about the nature of these payments, but so far, it has not swayed the judicial opinion in favor of Trump’s position.

As of July 4, Judge Kaplan denied Trump’s motion to amend or correct the order to expedite the case. Trump’s legal team is expected to present further arguments for delaying the case, which has already seen extensive litigation over the past four years.

This ongoing legal battle not only highlights the complexities of high-profile defamation suits but also underscores the intense scrutiny and strategic legal maneuverings often involved in such cases. As both sides prepare for the next round of legal sparring, the court's patience with delay tactics appears to be waning, signaling a potential end to this protracted legal saga.