New York, New York - Former President Donald Trump has suffered another serious legal defeat in the dispute over allegations of rape and defamation brought against him by columnist E. Jean Carroll.

A New York judge ruled on Wednesday that the politician is civilly liable for defaming Carroll with statements he made in 2019, after she publically claimed he raped her in the 90s.

Federal Judge Lewis Kaplan said the upcoming civil trial over the case, which is due to start early next year, will now only deal with the amount of damages Trump has to pay Carroll.

A jury had already ordered Trump to $5 million in damages to Carroll for sexual abuse and defamation – from comments made in 2022 – in May. The ex-president and presidential candidate is now facing additional damages through a second trial.

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Carroll has accused Trump of raping her in the dressing room of a New York luxury department store in the spring of 1996. The longtime columnist for Elle magazine first made her accusation public in 2019, when Trump was president.

The Republican then accused Carroll of lying, saying she wasn't his "type." Carroll, now 79, has sued Trump twice: The first lawsuit for defamation related to Trump's statements during his time as president. The second lawsuit concerned the alleged rape itself and a statement made by Trump in 2022, when he was no longer president.

The second lawsuit was tried in a separate trial, with the outcome of May's five-million judgment. The next civil trial is scheduled to begin on January 15, 2024. It is the same day that the Republican presidential primary begins, in which Trump is the overwhelming favorite.

Trump has denied Carroll's claims, maintaining he never met her, and has fought back vigorously in court.

Donald Trump has also been charged this year in four additional criminal cases.