Lewis A. Kaplan

Lewis A. Kaplan (born December 23, 1944) is a highly respected federal judge who presided over the E. Jean Carroll defamation and sexual abuse cases against Donald Trump. Born in Staten Island, New York, he earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Rochester and his J.D. from Harvard Law School. President Bill Clinton nominated him to the federal bench in 1994. In 2023 and 2024, he presided over both of E. Jean Carroll's lawsuits against Trump, resulting in judgments totaling $88.3 million.