Nov 15, 2022 - Politics & Policy

Trump notches victory in Mary Trump lawsuit

Former President Trump in Palm Beach, Florida, on Nov. 8.

Photo: Joe Raedle/Getty Images

A judge in New York has dismissed a lawsuit brought by Mary Trump against her uncle, former President Trump, that accused him and other family members of having "swindled" her out of an inheritance worth millions.

Why it matters: The judge's ruling Monday is a victory for the former president amid a litany of legal issues, and comes as Trump is expected to announce another run for president.

Background: Mary Trump claimed in the lawsuit filed in September 2020 that she was defrauded out of inheritance money by the former president, his sister Maryanne Trump Barry, and his younger brother Robert Trump.

  • In the lawsuit, Mary Trump referenced a 2018 New York Times investigation that found the Trump family engaged in dubious tax schemes, including outright fraud, in the 1990s.

What they're saying: "Yesterday's decision is very disappointing, especially since it took more than two years for us to get here," Mary Trump’s attorney Robbie Kaplan said in a statement Tuesday.

  • "In our view, the court overlooked applicable case law and the well-pleaded allegations in Mary Trump's complaint. Given the age of the defendants, not to mention the fact that one of them intends to announce this evening that he is running once again for President, we intend to seek an expedited appeal to the appellate division," Kaplan added.

The big picture: New York Justice Robert Reed ruled Monday that Mary Trump had forfeited the ability to bring the claims against her relatives in a 2001 settlement worth more than $2.7 million over the estate of Trump's father, Fred Trump.

Go deeper: Christie applauded after bashing Trump at GOP governor meeting

Go deeper