Saying the president was “grasping at straws,” a federal judge on Saturday threw out Donald Trump’s $10 billion lawsuit against The Wall Street Journal and media mogul Rupert Murdoch over a story reporting on his ties to Jeffrey Epstein.

U.S. District Judge Darrin Gayles in Miami dismissed the suit with prejudice, ruling that the president did not prove the defendants made defamatory statements with actual malice as required by law. The ruling said the lawsuit had attempted to “manufacture” flaws in the Journal’s investigative reporting.

When a case is thrown out “with prejudice,” it cannot be refiled again and the dismissal is permanent and incontrovertible.

    • Eheran@lemmy.world
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      3 days ago

      If that does/did not happen this is really not a win. Not a big loss either but still a loss of time, effort, money and chips away at the ability to absorb such things mentally.

    • Eldritch@piefed.world
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      4 days ago

      10 is about as high as he can count. I doubt he really comprehends the other word anymore.

      • ZeroCool@piefed.ca
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        4 days ago

        Sorta like Dr. Evil in the Austin Powers movies, constantly confusing 1 million dollars and 1 billion dollars. Except instead of it being due to time travel, Trump just has dementia… And he’s much more evil.

    • JeeBaiChow@lemmy.world
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      3 days ago

      It’s the go big or go home approach. Try on the slim chance that you’ll win, then use it as a precedent to go bigger next time.

    • JeeBaiChow@lemmy.world
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      3 days ago

      He’d have dragged it out saying the documents were tied up in audit, his capacity as president, official secrets, too busy with the midterms, currently involved in litigation, etc. none of which applies btw. But he’s gonna do it anyway.

  • ByteJunk@lemmy.world
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    3 days ago

    Not to be nitpicking, you are correct, but a lawsuit dismissed with prejudice can be appealed to a higher court, it just can’t be refiled in the same trial court.

    It would be different if this was a criminal case, because then the protections against double jeopardy generally prevent the prosecution from appealing.