SDNY Judges V. Trump

According to Brave AI

Judge

Case(s) Involving Trump

Outcome / Status

Lewis A. Kaplan (Senior Judge)

E. Jean Carroll v. Donald J. Trump (Carroll I & II)

- Carroll I (2023): Jury found Trump liable for sexual abuse and defamation; awarded $5 million in damages. Kaplan upheld verdict, denied new trial.

- Carroll II (2024): After partial summary judgment, jury awarded $83.3 million in damages for defamation. Appeal denied by Second Circuit (2025).

 

Jennifer H. Rearden (Active Judge)

The City of New York v. Trump (2025)

Challenged reversal of $80.5M in FEMA migrant shelter funds. Case ongoing. TRO denied (March 2025); motion to dismiss filed by DOJ. No final ruling yet.

 

Jeannette A. Vargas (Active Judge)

State of New York v. Trump (2025)

Challenged DOGE team’s access to Treasury systems. Vargas granted preliminary injunction (Feb 2025), limiting access. Case ongoing, motion to dismiss pending.

 

Paul A. Engelmayer (Active Judge)

State of New York v. Trump (Emergency Relief)

As Part I judge, granted emergency relief (Feb 8, 2025) blocking DOGE access pending hearing before Judge Vargas. No further role.

 

Notes:

 

Lewis Kaplan is the only SDNY judge to issue final judgments holding Trump liable in civil cases.

 

Cases assigned to Rearden and Vargas are still active and involve actions by the second Trump administration (2025–).

 

No other SDNY judges are known to have presided over civil or criminal cases directly involving Trump or his administration as of early 2026.

 

Full list of SDNY judges presiding in Manhattan:

Active District Judges (Manhattan)

Laura Taylor Swain (Chief Judge)

John G. Koeltl

J. Paul Oetken

Paul A. Engelmayer

Edgardo Ramos

Andrew L. Carter Jr.

Jesse M. Furman

Ronnie Abrams

Katherine Polk Failla

Analisa Torres

Vernon S. Broderick

Gregory H. Woods

Mary Kay Vyskocil

Lewis J. Liman

John P. Cronan

Jennifer L. Rochon

Jennifer H. Rearden

Arun Subramanian

Jessica G. L. Clarke

Dale Ho

Margaret Garnett

Jeannette Vargas

Valerie E. Caproni

Senior Judges (Manhattan)

Louis L. Stanton

Kimba M. Wood

Loretta A. Preska

Denise Cote

Lewis A. Kaplan

Sidney H. Stein

Jed S. Rakoff

Richard M. Berman

Alvin K. Hellerstein

Colleen McMahon

Naomi Reice Buchwald

Victor Marrero

George B. Daniels

P. Kevin Castel

Paul A. Crotty

 

I seem to recall that Arun Subramanian and Dale Ho have also been involved in cases re: imigration I think. I don't recognize any other names.