Donald Trump entered 2026 facing more active legal proceedings than any president in American history. The trump lawsuit tracker picture is complicated, but the short version is this: several cases are paused, a few are in appeals courts, and some civil judgments are still being fought over with real money on the line.
This is not just political theater. Business owners, investors, lenders, and ordinary Americans have real financial exposure connected to some of these cases.
Below, every major case is broken down in plain language. You’ll find the current status, what court is handling it, what the expected 2026 timeline looks like, and why it matters beyond the headlines.
One remarkable fact to start: Trump was named as a defendant or respondent in over 30 significant civil and criminal proceedings during his post-2020 legal period. That number has shifted dramatically heading into 2026.
Trump Lawsuit Tracker 2026: The Full Case Map
The trump lawsuit tracker for 2026 shows a legal picture that looks very different from 2023 and 2024. Many of the highest-profile criminal cases have been paused or dismissed due to Trump’s return to the White House. Civil cases, however, are still very much alive.
Here is a master overview of every major category of legal action currently active or recently resolved:
| Case Category | Number of Active Cases (2026) | Primary Court |
|---|---|---|
| Federal Criminal | 0 active (both dismissed) | N/A |
| State Criminal | 1 active, 1 paused | Georgia, New York |
| Civil Fraud | 1 active appeal | NY Appellate Division |
| Defamation / Civil Assault | 1 in damages phase | Federal Court, NY |
| January 6th Related Civil | Multiple, various stages | Federal District Courts |
| Other Civil Actions | 3 to 5 ongoing | Various |
The federal criminal cases are gone, at least for now. The state-level cases are where the real legal action remains in 2026.
The civil fraud case in New York carries a potential liability of over $450 million when interest is included. That number alone makes the tracker worth following.
Key fact: Jack Smith, the former Special Counsel, resigned and closed his federal investigation after Trump won the 2024 election. Federal law prohibits indicting a sitting president.
What Lawsuits Is Trump Involved in Right Now?
Trump is currently involved in a mix of criminal appeals, civil judgments under appeal, and active civil litigation as of 2026. The full list is shorter than it was in 2023, but the remaining cases carry significant legal and financial weight.
Here is the current active list:
- New York hush money case: Conviction stands; sentencing and appeal ongoing
- New York civil fraud case: Judgment entered; appeal active in the Appellate Division
- E. Jean Carroll defamation and battery case: Damages phase proceeding
- Georgia election interference case: Paused pending rulings on prosecutorial misconduct
- January 6th-related civil lawsuits: Multiple plaintiffs suing Trump for damages from the Capitol riot
- Various civil actions: Including cases filed by former employees and business partners
The federal cases, the classified documents case out of Florida and the federal election interference case in Washington DC, were both dismissed by the time Trump took office again in January 2025.
That leaves mostly state and civil cases. And in the civil world, a president does not get the same immunity protections as in the criminal federal system.
Think of it like this: the criminal scoreboard reset somewhat when Trump won re-election. The civil scoreboard did not.
Trump Criminal Cases Status 2026
The two federal criminal indictments against Trump are no longer active. Both were dismissed before he took office. But on the state criminal side, the picture is more complicated.
New York hush money case: Trump was convicted on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in May 2024. Judge Juan Merchan sentenced Trump to an unconditional discharge in January 2025, meaning no prison time, no probation, and no fine. The case is now in the appeals process.
Georgia election interference case: This case is effectively on hold. The Georgia Court of Appeals was examining whether Fulton County DA Fani Willis should be disqualified. As of 2026, no trial date has been set.
| Case | Status in 2026 | Last Key Event |
|---|---|---|
| NY Hush Money | Appealing conviction | Unconditional discharge, Jan 2025 |
| Georgia Election Case | Paused / DA challenge | Appeals court reviewing DA Willis disqualification |
| Federal Election Case | Dismissed | Dismissed Nov 2024 |
| Federal Documents Case | Dismissed | Dismissed Aug 2024 |
The criminal picture as of 2026 is essentially: one conviction under appeal, one case frozen in procedural limbo, and two federal cases gone entirely.
Trump Hush Money Case 2026 Update
The hush money case is the only Trump criminal conviction on the books in 2026, and it is actively being challenged in the appeals courts. Trump’s legal team is pushing to have the conviction overturned entirely.
The case centered on $130,000 in payments made to adult film actress Stormy Daniels before the 2016 election. Prosecutors argued those payments were disguised as legal fees in Trump Organization records, constituting falsified business records with the intent to commit election fraud.
The jury returned a guilty verdict on all 34 counts in May 2024. Judge Merchan gave Trump an unconditional discharge at sentencing, which is a unique outcome in New York law that essentially means the conviction is on record but no punishment was imposed.
Trump’s appeal argues several things:
- Presidential immunity should have barred evidence related to official acts
- The Supreme Court’s July 2024 immunity ruling was not properly applied
- Improper jury instructions
- Venue and prosecutorial bias claims
The appeal is being handled in the New York state appellate system. A final ruling could take well into 2026 or 2027. If the appeal fails, Trump remains a convicted felon. If it succeeds, the conviction is wiped.
Key Takeaway: The hush money conviction is real and on record, but an appeal could erase it entirely, and no jail time was ever imposed regardless of the outcome.
Trump Business Fraud Lawsuit Verdict
The New York civil fraud case produced one of the largest financial judgments in American legal history. Judge Arthur Engoron ruled in February 2024 that Trump, his sons Donald Jr. and Eric, and the Trump Organization committed persistent and repeated fraud.
The original penalty was set at approximately $355 million. With pre-judgment interest applied, the total climbed past $450 million.
New York Attorney General Letitia James brought the case. She argued that Trump and the Trump Organization inflated the values of properties like Mar-a-Lago, Trump Tower, and various golf clubs by hundreds of millions of dollars to secure favorable loan terms from banks.
The defendants were found to have:
- Overstated asset values on financial statements for over a decade
- Provided false valuations to lenders and insurers
- Operated a pattern of fraudulent conduct across multiple properties
Trump’s team appealed immediately. In 2025, the Appellate Division reduced the judgment somewhat and adjusted the interest terms, but the core finding of fraud was upheld.
As of 2026, the appeal is continuing in the New York court system. The case has not gone to the Court of Appeals, New York’s highest court, yet.
| Judgment Detail | Amount |
|---|---|
| Original Penalty | ~$355 million |
| With Interest (at peak) | ~$464 million |
| Adjusted After Appeal (approx.) | Reduced; exact figure pending |
| Parties Liable | Trump, Don Jr., Eric Trump, Trump Org |
Trump Classified Documents Case Dismissed
The classified documents case is closed. Judge Aileen Cannon dismissed the case in August 2024, ruling that Special Counsel Jack Smith’s appointment was unconstitutional. The case never went to trial.
The indictment accused Trump of retaining 37 boxes of classified materials at Mar-a-Lago after leaving office in January 2021. Federal investigators found documents relating to nuclear weapons programs, military capabilities, and national defense information.
Trump pleaded not guilty. His legal team challenged the appointment of Jack Smith as Special Counsel, arguing it violated the Appointments Clause of the Constitution.
Judge Cannon sided with that argument. The 11th Circuit Court of Appeals was reviewing her ruling when Trump won re-election. With a sitting president unable to be prosecuted under Justice Department policy, the government dropped the case entirely.
Jack Smith resigned. His final report, released in January 2025, detailed extensive evidence against Trump that was never presented at trial.
The case is dead as a criminal matter. It cannot be revived while Trump is in office. Whether a future administration could ever revisit it is a legal question with no clear answer yet.
Trump Federal Indictments Update 2026
Both federal indictments against Trump are no longer active as of 2026. The federal election interference case and the classified documents case were each dismissed before Trump returned to the presidency.
The election interference case, brought by Jack Smith in Washington DC, accused Trump of conspiring to obstruct the certification of the 2020 election results. It included charges under federal conspiracy statutes and obstruction laws.
Smith dropped that case in November 2024, citing the longstanding DOJ policy against prosecuting a sitting president.
The classified documents case in Florida was dismissed by Judge Cannon in August 2024 on constitutional grounds.
| Indictment | Charges | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Federal Election Case (DC) | Conspiracy, obstruction | Dismissed Nov 2024 |
| Federal Documents Case (FL) | Unauthorized retention of classified materials | Dismissed Aug 2024 |
Both dismissals were without prejudice in theory, meaning charges could technically be refiled after Trump leaves office. In practice, the statute of limitations and political realities make that a long shot.
The question of whether a future DOJ could reopen either investigation after 2028 remains unresolved in legal scholarship.
Key Takeaway: Both federal criminal cases are dismissed and off the table for now, but the civil and state-level cases are still very much active heading deeper into 2026.
Trump Jan 6 Lawsuits Status
The January 6th civil lawsuits are separate from the criminal cases and are still proceeding in 2026. These are cases filed by Capitol Police officers, members of Congress, and other plaintiffs who allege Trump incited the riot that caused them physical and emotional harm.
These are not criminal cases. They are civil lawsuits seeking money damages.
Key cases in this category include:
- Thompson v. Trump: Filed by Democratic members of Congress under the Ku Klux Klan Act, alleging Trump conspired with the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers to interfere with Congress
- Blassingame v. Trump: Filed by Capitol Police officers alleging personal injury and emotional distress
- Swalwell v. Trump: Filed by Rep. Eric Swalwell alleging incitement and conspiracy
The Supreme Court’s July 2024 immunity ruling complicated all of these cases significantly. The court ruled that former presidents have broad immunity for official acts. Lower courts are now being required to sort out which of Trump’s January 6th-related conduct was “official” versus “unofficial.”
That sorting process is slow and is expected to continue well into 2026 and beyond.
None of these civil cases have gone to trial yet. Several are still in pre-trial motions dealing with the immunity question directly.
Trump Immunity Ruling and What It Means
The Supreme Court’s July 2024 ruling in Trump v. United States is arguably the most important legal development in all of Trump’s cases. The court held that former presidents have absolute immunity for core constitutional acts and presumptive immunity for other official acts.
This ruling did not just affect Trump’s criminal cases. It sent shockwaves through every pending civil and criminal case involving his conduct as president.
Here is what the ruling means in practical terms:
- Actions Trump took as president in his official capacity are largely untouchable by courts
- Evidence of official acts cannot generally be used to prove unofficial ones
- Lower courts must now conduct a fact-by-fact analysis to determine what was “official” in any given case
- The ruling applies retroactively to pending cases
For the civil January 6th cases, this means plaintiffs now face a much harder road. They must prove that specific Trump communications, statements, and actions were private rather than presidential in nature.
For the hush money case, Trump’s team used this ruling as grounds to challenge the use of certain evidence about his presidential conduct. That argument is part of the active appeal.
The immunity ruling effectively put a legal shield around a significant portion of conduct that prosecutors and plaintiffs had been counting on using as evidence.
Trump E Jean Carroll Lawsuit Update
The E. Jean Carroll cases are the clearest example of civil liability that has already been decided against Trump. Carroll, a writer, accused Trump of sexually assaulting her in a New York department store in the mid-1990s.
Two separate jury verdicts went against Trump:
- First verdict (May 2023): Jury found Trump liable for sexual abuse (not rape as legally defined) and defamation. Awarded Carroll $5 million in damages.
- Second verdict (January 2024): A separate jury found Trump liable for defamation related to statements he made after leaving office. Awarded Carroll an additional $83.3 million in damages.
The $83.3 million defamation verdict is currently under appeal. Trump’s legal team argues the amount is grossly excessive and that his statements were protected political speech.
Carroll’s attorneys counter that the damages reflect the severity of the reputational harm caused by Trump’s repeated public denials.
As of 2026, the appeal of the $83.3 million verdict is pending in the Second Circuit Court of Appeals. The $5 million verdict has been paid or secured.
| Carroll Case | Verdict | Amount | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sexual abuse / defamation (2023) | Liable | $5 million | Paid / resolved |
| Defamation – post-presidency statements (2024) | Liable | $83.3 million | Under appeal |
Key Takeaway: Trump already has two civil verdicts against him from E. Jean Carroll, and over $88 million in total judgments, with the larger amount still being contested on appeal.
Trump New York Fraud Case Appeal 2026
The New York civil fraud case appeal is one of the most financially significant proceedings in the entire trump lawsuit tracker. Trump’s legal team filed their appeal immediately after Judge Engoron’s February 2024 judgment.
In 2025, the Appellate Division issued a ruling that made some adjustments. The court reduced the scope of certain penalties and altered interest calculations. But the core finding, that Trump and his company committed persistent fraud over many years, was not overturned.
The next step is the New York Court of Appeals, which is the state’s highest court. If Trump loses there, the final avenue would be the US Supreme Court, which would likely decline to hear a state civil fraud matter.
What is at stake:
- Hundreds of millions of dollars in penalties and interest
- The ability of Trump and his sons to operate businesses in New York
- A permanent injunction that restricted Trump Organization operations in New York
The business ban aspect is significant. Judge Engoron initially ordered sweeping restrictions on Trump’s ability to conduct business in the state. Some of those restrictions were modified on appeal, but the core prohibition remains a live issue.
The fraud case was not about victims filing claims for money back. It was the state AG suing on behalf of the public interest and the financial institutions that were allegedly deceived.
Trump Civil Lawsuits List 2026
Beyond the highest-profile cases, there are several other civil lawsuits involving Trump that are active or recently resolved in 2026.
Here is a breakdown of other notable civil actions:
| Case | Plaintiff | Claim | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coral Gables defamation case | Various plaintiffs | Defamation from campaign statements | Various stages |
| Trump University settlement | Former students | Fraud / misrepresentation | Settled previously; monitoring period ongoing |
| Apprentice contestant cases | Multiple claimants | Defamation | Largely resolved |
| NAACP v. Trump | Civil rights organizations | Jan 6 conspiracy under KKK Act | Pre-trial |
| Former Secret Service and staff cases | Former employees | Wrongful termination claims | Various |
The Trump University settlement, worth $25 million, was reached back in 2016 and 2017. That case is fully resolved. It appears here because some media still confuse it with active litigation.
The active civil cases as of 2026 are primarily the Carroll appeal, the NY fraud appeal, and the January 6th civil suits.
Civil cases can proceed even against a sitting president. The Supreme Court confirmed this principle back in Clinton v. Jones in 1997. Presidential immunity from criminal prosecution does not extend to civil matters in the same way.
Trump Lawsuits Dismissed in 2026
Several cases involving Trump have been dismissed or effectively ended as we move through 2026. Understanding which cases are gone matters because media coverage sometimes blurs the line between active and closed proceedings.
Dismissed or resolved cases as of 2026:
- Federal election interference (DC): Dismissed November 2024 by Special Counsel after election win
- Federal classified documents (FL): Dismissed August 2024 by Judge Cannon
- New York AG civil fraud (partial): Core judgment upheld; some penalty elements modified on appeal
- Various state AG investigations: Several inquiries from other state AGs that never resulted in filed charges have been quietly closed
Cases are being dismissed for several different reasons. Some fell to the presidential immunity ruling. Others were dropped by prosecutors after Trump’s election win made prosecution legally impractical under DOJ policy.
The dismissals do not mean Trump was found innocent. In the federal cases, the charges were dropped before any trial could occur. The evidence compiled by prosecutors, particularly Jack Smith’s detailed final report, remains part of the public record.
Importantly, some dismissals were “without prejudice,” which technically preserves the option to refile. Whether that ever happens is a matter for future administrations and future political circumstances.
Trump Lawsuits Settled 2026
Several cases involving Trump reached settlement before trial, and a few settlements are still being administered or monitored in 2026.
The most significant historical settlement was Trump University, which settled for $25 million in 2017 to resolve fraud claims from former students who said the real estate education program was a scam. That fund has been distributed.
Other notable settlements:
- Summer Zervos case: A former Apprentice contestant sued Trump for defamation after he denied her sexual misconduct allegations. The case was settled for an undisclosed amount in 2021.
- Various NDA-related cases: Several women who signed non-disclosure agreements related to alleged affairs or misconduct have had legal disputes over those agreements. Most have been resolved or are in confidential proceedings.
As of 2026, there are no major new settlements expected in the immediate term. The Carroll case and the NY fraud case are in appeals rather than settlement negotiations.
| Settled Case | Settlement Amount | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Trump University | $25 million | 2017 |
| Summer Zervos defamation | Undisclosed | 2021 |
| Various NDA disputes | Undisclosed | 2021 to 2023 |
Key Takeaway: The major open cases in 2026 are in appeal stages, not settlement talks, and the cases that are fully resolved mostly came from earlier presidential and post-presidential periods.
Trump Lawsuits Affecting Consumers and Businesses
Most Trump lawsuits are political and legal stories. But some have real-world financial consequences for ordinary people, business owners, and investors.
Here is where the overlap happens:
Trump University claimants: Former students who paid up to $35,000 for Trump University courses received refunds from the $25 million settlement fund. If you were a student and did not file a claim in the original claim period, that window has passed.
Trump Organization contractors and vendors: Court records in the NY fraud case revealed testimony from numerous contractors and vendors who said the Trump Organization’s inflated financial statements affected their ability to assess project risk. Some have pursued separate breach of contract claims.
Lenders and banks: Deutsche Bank and other lenders who relied on Trump Organization financial statements may have legal exposure of their own. Several regulatory reviews of those lenders’ due diligence practices were active in prior years.
Investors in Trump-affiliated entities: Trump Media and Technology Group, the parent company of Truth Social, went public in 2024. Investors in that company have filed securities-related complaints over disclosure practices. Those are separate from the lawsuit tracker cases but worth noting.
January 6th property damage claims: The US Capitol was damaged during the January 6th riot. Federal claims for that damage are part of the civil lawsuit ecosystem connected to January 6th.
If you believe you were financially harmed by Trump-related business fraud, the NY civil case, or other specific actions, the right path is working with a private attorney familiar with those specific case records.
Trump Legal Battles Timeline 2026
Understanding where things stand requires a clear timeline. Here is the full arc of Trump’s legal battles from the major indictments through the expected 2026 milestones.
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| June 2023 | Federal classified documents indictment filed (FL) |
| August 2023 | Federal election interference indictment filed (DC) |
| August 2023 | Georgia election interference indictment filed |
| May 2024 | Trump convicted on 34 felony counts in NY hush money case |
| July 2024 | Supreme Court issues presidential immunity ruling |
| August 2024 | Judge Cannon dismisses classified documents case |
| November 2024 | Jack Smith drops federal election interference case |
| January 2025 | Trump sentenced to unconditional discharge in NY |
| January 2025 | Trump inaugurated; begins second term |
| 2025 | Carroll $83.3M verdict appeal proceeds in Second Circuit |
| 2025 | NY civil fraud appeal continues in Appellate Division |
| 2026 | Georgia case remains paused pending DA review |
| 2026 | Jan 6 civil suits continue pre-trial proceedings |
| 2026 to 2027 | NY hush money conviction appeal expected to reach decision |
The pattern is clear. The criminal cases are mostly gone. The civil cases, especially the ones with real money attached, are grinding through appeals and will likely continue doing so through 2026 and into 2027.
If the NY Court of Appeals upholds the fraud judgment, and if the Second Circuit upholds the Carroll defamation award, Trump could face a combined civil liability well north of $500 million.
Whether those judgments can ever be collected from a sitting president is itself an unresolved legal question.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many lawsuits does Trump currently face in 2026?
Trump faces roughly 5 to 8 significant active legal proceedings as of 2026.
The number dropped significantly after both federal criminal cases were dismissed in 2024.
The remaining cases are a mix of state criminal appeals, civil fraud appeals, and January 6th civil suits.
Has Trump been convicted of any crime?
Yes. Trump was convicted on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in New York in May 2024.
He was sentenced to an unconditional discharge in January 2025, meaning no jail time or fine was imposed.
That conviction is currently being appealed, and the outcome could take until 2027 to be finalized.
What did the Supreme Court immunity ruling mean for Trump’s cases?
The July 2024 Supreme Court ruling gave former presidents broad immunity for official acts taken while in office.
The ruling effectively ended or severely damaged several criminal and civil cases built around Trump’s conduct as president.
Lower courts are now working through which specific actions qualify as “official” on a case-by-case basis.
Can Trump be jailed while serving as president?
No. Under longstanding Justice Department policy, a sitting president cannot be indicted or imprisoned by the federal government.
State courts have not tested this question directly, and the law there is less settled.
As a practical matter, no court is expected to attempt to imprison a sitting president during his term.
Which Trump lawsuits could still result in financial penalties in 2026?
The two most likely sources of financial penalties are the NY civil fraud case and the E. Jean Carroll defamation verdict.
Combined, those two cases represent over $500 million in potential liability.
Both are under appeal, and neither has been fully paid or finally resolved as of 2026.
The legal picture around Donald Trump in 2026 is not simple, but it is not as chaotic as it was in 2023 and 2024 either. The criminal cases have mostly collapsed. The civil cases with real money are still very much alive and grinding through appeals.
Stay up to date on the NY fraud case appeal and the Carroll verdict appeal in particular. Those two decisions will shape the financial outcomes more than anything else.
If you believe any of these cases directly affected you financially, speak with a licensed attorney in your state to understand your specific options.
