The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan declined Wednesday to grant what is known as a rehearing en banc—a rare proceeding in which all judges on a federal appeals court meet to reconsider a panel decision. The case involves an $83 million verdict against Trump for defaming a magazine columnist.
The decision came from a divided court, indicating disagreement among the judges on whether the full bench should take up the matter. The rejection of the en banc petition effectively leaves the earlier panel decision in place, though it does not prevent further legal appeals in other venues.
The case centers on allegations that Trump made defamatory statements about the magazine columnist. The verdict, reached in a lower court, resulted in the substantial monetary judgment against the president. Trump's legal team had sought the rehearing to challenge the decision before the full appellate court.
