A federal appeals court has affirmed that Donald J. Trump and his former lawyer Alina Habba must pay nearly $1 million after filing a lawsuit against Hillary Clinton, James Comey and others — concluding the legal action qualified as a “frivolous” abuse of the justice system.
Originally filed in 2022, the case alleged a broad conspiracy tied to the 2016 election. The court dismissed the complaint and imposed sanctions in 2023. In its latest ruling, the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals unanimously upheld both the dismissal and the financial penalty, rejecting arguments that the original filing had any merit.
Judges described the claims as lacking any reasonable legal or factual foundation and criticized the lawsuit as a strategic misuse of judicial resources. As a result, the defendants — including Clinton, Comey, and other named parties — are entitled to recover legal fees incurred in defending the case.
This ruling adds to a growing list of court decisions rejecting repeated attempts by Trump to revive litigation against political opponents.