The defamation lawsuit filed in 2017 by Summer Zervos, a former contestant on President Donald Trump's reality show "The Apprentice," is now likely to be heard in New York's highest court, under a ruling Tuesday from the New York Supreme Court, Appellate Division, First Department.

After affirming the Manhattan Supreme Court's denial of Trump's motion to dismiss in March, a panel of First Department judges granted Trump's motion for leave to appeal Tuesday.

Zervos' lawyer, Beth Wilkinson of Wilkinson Walsh + Eskovitz, said in a statement that she and her team are looking forward to arguing the case in the Court of Appeals.