THE APEX TIMES
U.S. Supreme Court Won’t Hear Alan Dershowitz’s Defamation Appeal Against CNN
The Supreme Court declined to take up lawyer Alan Dershowitz’s challenge to a ruling that dismissed his $300 million defamation lawsuit against CNN tied to the network’s coverage of his remarks during President Donald Trump’s 2020 impeachment trial.
The U.S. Supreme Court declined to take up an appeal by lawyer Alan Dershowitz in his defamation lawsuit against CNN, according to an article published June 29, 2026. The court’s decision means the lower court’s dismissal of the case will stand, leaving Dershowitz’s claims against the network unresolved in federal court.
Dershowitz, a well-known attorney, had sued CNN seeking $300 million, arguing that the network’s commentary and reporting about his remarks made during President Donald Trump’s first impeachment trial in 2020 harmed his reputation. The suit centered on how CNN characterized or discussed those remarks in its programming following the impeachment proceedings.
Before the Supreme Court, the lawsuit had been dismissed by a judge, the Deadline report said. Dershowitz then sought further review through the appellate process, culminating in the petition to the Supreme Court to reconsider the dismissal.
The Supreme Court’s refusal to hear the case prevents the justices from issuing a merits ruling on the defamation allegations. For CNN, the decision ends the possibility of a Supreme Court review that could have altered the procedural outcome and reopened litigation.
Dershowitz’s case became part of a broader set of U.S. debates over press coverage, lawyer statements, and the scope of defamation liability for media commentary. The record described in the Deadline report ties the lawsuit directly to the network’s coverage of Dershowitz’s impeachment-trial remarks, not to a separate dispute or later commentary.
The next practical step for Dershowitz is limited because the Supreme Court action effectively closes the path he pursued through the federal courts, absent extraordinary remedies that are not indicated in the Deadline account.
CNN, meanwhile, retains the benefit of the dismissed lawsuit remaining closed, and the Supreme Court’s decision reinforces that this particular federal defamation challenge will not proceed to a higher court determination.
Why It Matters
- The decision ends this particular federal defamation dispute as pursued by Dershowitz, with the dismissal remaining effective.
- The case highlights the legal hurdles plaintiffs face when challenging media coverage connected to statements made in high-profile political proceedings.
- For CNN, the Supreme Court refusal reduces ongoing legal uncertainty and associated litigation costs tied to the matter.
- For audiences and media institutions, the ruling maintains the status quo of the lower court’s handling of the complaint’s allegations tied to commentary about public legal remarks.
- The outcome underscores that Supreme Court review is not guaranteed even when a case reaches petition stage.
Key Facts
- The U.S. Supreme Court declined to take up Alan Dershowitz’s appeal of his defamation case against CNN, according to a June 29, 2026 report.
- Dershowitz sought $300 million in damages in the lawsuit.
- A judge previously dismissed the lawsuit before Dershowitz sought Supreme Court review.
- The allegations related to CNN’s coverage and commentary about remarks Dershowitz made during President Donald Trump’s 2020 impeachment trial.
- The Supreme Court’s action keeps the lower court dismissal in place and prevents a merits ruling in the case.