President Donald Trump petitioned the Supreme Court on Friday to overturn a federal appeals court ruling that upheld the dismissal of his lawsuit against Hillary Clinton and other defendants. The suit, filed in March 2022, accused Clinton, the Democratic National Committee, and Perkins Coie of conspiring to undermine Trump’s candidacy and presidency through fabricated Russian collusion allegations. U.S. District Judge Donald Middlebrooks dismissed the case, citing untimely filing and First Amendment protections for many alleged statements. The 11th Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed the dismissal and sanctions, with Chief Judge William Pryor calling the claims “untimely and otherwise meritless.” Middlebrooks had also ordered Trump and his attorney, Alina Habba, to pay nearly $1 million in sanctions for pursuing the litigation.
Trump seeks the Court’s review on two questions: whether the statute of limitations should extend due to his presidential duties, and whether courts can sanction him and attorney Alina Habba for raising that argument. His lawyer, Richard Klugh, argued the lower court wrongly forces presidents to choose between public responsibilities and private claims, violating constitutional advocacy precedents and the adversary system.
Clinton has 30 days to respond once the petition is docketed, though she may request more time. The Supreme Court is expected to act on the petition this winter. Klugh further contended that the sanctions improperly punished attorneys for advancing a “substantial, unresolved argument” about the extension of the limitations period. The case centers on whether presidential duties, such as governing and conducting diplomacy, can toll the statute of limitations for private civil claims arising from official actions.
The lawsuit alleges a coordinated scheme by Clinton, the DNC, and Perkins Coie to damage Trump’s reputation through false accusations of collusion with Russia during the 2016 election. Middlebrooks found that the claims were barred because they were filed years after the alleged events occurred, and he determined that many of the defendants’ statements were plainly protected by the First Amendment.
The 11th Circuit agreed, emphasizing that the plaintiffs failed to demonstrate how their constitutional rights were violated in a manner that overcame the statute of limitations. The court also upheld the sanctions, noting that the arguments presented were without merit and caused unnecessary litigation costs. Recommended Citation: Amy Howe, Trump asks justices to allow dismissed lawsuit against Hillary Clinton to proceed, SCOTUSblog (Oct. 11, 2026, 2:24 PM), https://www.scotusblog.com/2026/10/trump-asks-justices-to-allow-dismissed-lawsuit-against-hillary-clinton-to-proceed/
