Appeals court schedules oral arguments in E. Jean Carroll's defamation case against Trump

A Washington, D.C., appeals court on Tuesday scheduled oral arguments for the defamation lawsuit against former President Donald Trump filed by E. Jean Carroll, a writer who has alleged he raped her in the mid-1990s.

Driving the news: The court agreed to take up the issue of whether the U.S. government should be substituted for Trump as the defendant in the case since he was a federal employee when he labeled Carroll a liar following her public accusation.

• The court also said it will expedite the appeal with arguments set for Jan. 10, 2023 — that's less than a month before the case is scheduled to go to trial in New York.

What they're saying: "We are pleased that the DC Court of Appeals set an expedited schedule to determine the issue certified by the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit," Carroll's attorney, Robbie Kaplan, said in a statement.

• "As we've said several times by now, we are eager to get to trial on all of E. Jean's claims as soon as possible."

Catch up quick: Trump gave a deposition under oath last week after repeatedly attempting to delay the case proceedings.

Background: Trump has maintained that he did not rape Carroll, who then sued him for defamation in 2019 for labeling her a liar.

• Trump, who faced a number of sexual misconduct allegations during his 2016 campaign, lost his bid to countersue earlier this year.
• Carroll has said she also plans to sue Trump for battery and intentional infliction of emotional distress in November under a new New York law called the Adult Survivors Act, which gives adult survivors of sexual misconduct a one-year window to sue, regardless of when the incident occurred.