CRBC News
Culture
Society
Security
Health
Conflict
Science
Technology
Politics
Environment
Lifestyle
Economy

Appeals Court Upholds Nearly $1M Sanction Against Trump and Attorney Alina Habba

Key points: The 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals unanimously upheld nearly $1 million in sanctions against Donald Trump and attorney Alina Habba, finding their 2022 lawsuit against Hillary Clinton and James Comey frivolous. Chief Judge William Pryor Jr. said many of their legal claims lacked merit and that the district court properly weighed a pattern of misusing litigation. The appeals court also refused to revive the racketeering-style complaint and the Justice Department is appealing a separate ruling about Habba’s temporary federal appointment.

02:39 AM, 11/27/2025Politics
Appeals Court Upholds Nearly $1M Sanction Against Trump and Attorney Alina Habba

A federal appeals court has affirmed a nearly $1 million sanction against President Donald Trump and his attorney Alina Habba, finding they pursued a frivolous lawsuit against Hillary Clinton and former FBI Director James Comey.

The 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals issued a unanimous decision written by Chief Judge William Pryor Jr., who said that "many of Trump’s and Habba’s legal arguments were indeed frivolous." The three-judge panel included Judge Andrew Brasher, a Trump appointee, and Judge Embry Kidd, a Biden appointee.

Court’s findings and scope of the lawsuit

The court also denied Trump’s bid to revive a 2022 complaint that accused Clinton, Comey and others of a broad racketeering-style conspiracy to fabricate allegations about Trump’s 2016 campaign and trigger investigations such as the special counsel Robert Mueller probe. In a 36-page opinion, Pryor characterized the suit as an "abuse of judicial resources" and said the district court properly considered Trump’s "pattern of misusing the courts" when imposing sanctions.

"Many of Trump’s and Habba’s legal arguments were indeed frivolous," wrote Chief Judge William Pryor Jr.

Background and related developments

U.S. District Judge Donald Middlebrooks, who presided in the original case, ordered in January 2023 that Trump and Habba be held liable for a sanction intended to reimburse legal fees incurred by Hillary Clinton, the Democratic National Committee and other respondents who defended against the suit.

The decision follows another recent 11th Circuit setback for Trump: a separate panel rejected his attempt to revive a lawsuit against a news organization over its characterization of his post-2020-election conduct.

At the time Habba served as lead counsel on the Russia-related lawsuit, she was a private attorney representing Trump; she later became a spokesperson for his legal team. In March, Trump appointed Habba to serve temporarily as the top federal prosecutor in New Jersey. When that appointment was due to expire, the administration took an unusual procedural step to extend her term; in August a judge ruled that extension unlawful and the Justice Department has appealed that ruling.

Spokespeople for the White House, Trump’s legal team and Habba did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Similar Articles

Trending