Trump May Be Served by Mail at White House in Defamation Suit, Manhattan Judge Says
E. Jean Carroll and her lawyer, Roberta Kaplan of Kaplan Hecker & Fink, can mail the summons to Trump at Trump Tower in Manhattan and at the White House, New York Supreme Court Administrative Justice Deborah Kaplan ordered.
November 13, 2019 at 05:15 PM
2 minute read
President Donald Trump. Photo courtesy of The White House
A New York County Supreme Court justice ordered Wednesday that President Donald Trump can be served by mail with a summons from author E. Jean Carroll in her defamation suit against him.
Carroll, who has alleged that Trump sexually assaulted her at the Manhattan department store Bergdorf Goodman in the 1990s, is suing him for defamation. In the complaint, Carroll alleged that Trump attempted to destroy her reputation with a series of lies, including with the implication that she had falsely accused other men of rape.
Carroll and her lawyer, Roberta Kaplan of Kaplan Hecker & Fink, can mail the summons to Trump at Trump Tower in Manhattan and at the White House, New York Supreme Court Administrative Justice Deborah Kaplan ordered. The complaint was filed Nov. 4. Trump has previously denied Carroll's accusation and denied knowing her at all.
In an emailed statement, Roberta Kaplan said the court order is "no surprise."
"The courts generally have little patience for defendants avoiding service of process, particularly when the defendant is a sophisticated businessperson," she said.
Alan Futerfas, a member of the president's personal legal team, did not respond to requests for comment Wednesday.
The order, which also said papers should be emailed to a long list of lawyers who have represented Trump in other matters, did not mention a Florida address for Trump. In September, Trump changed his primary personal residence from Manhattan to Palm Beach, Florida, home of his Mar-a-Lago resort.
Roberta Kaplan is the founder of the Time's Up Legal Defense Fund, which raises money to connect victims of workplace sexual harassment with lawyers and media assistance.
The fund rose out of the #MeToo movement, which also played a role in Carroll's decision to come forward with her assault allegation, according to her complaint.
Read more:
Roberta Kaplan Files Lawsuit Alleging Trump Defamed Author as Liar in Wake of Rape Accusation
DOMA Slayer Kaplan Brings On Debevoise Partner, Renames Firm
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