Melania Trump Got Wolff Case Dismissed Now Says Will Move for Sanctions But Judge Cautions

Melania Trump Got Wolff Case Dismissed Now Says Will  Move for Sanctions But Judge Cautions by Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Book Substack SDNY COURTHOUSE, July 1 – Journalist Michael Wolff filed a defamation lawsuit against Melania Trump in New York State court on October 21, 2025.   On December 29, Melania Trump through counsel filed a Notice of Removal to the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, which Inner City Press closely covers and where it found it. The notice says that she is a resident of Florida and therefore diversity jurisdiction applies.    Her lawyers also wrote that "plaintiff falsely and maliciously asserted that Mrs. Trump was somehow 'involved' in the 'scandal' relating to Jeffrey Epstein [and] initiated this action in an improper effort to preempt a potential defamation lawsuit against him by Mrs. Trump."  On January 26 Melania Trump's lawyers moved to dismiss, or to transfer the case to the Southern District of Florida. On February 9 Wolff's lawyer opposed - and filed Melania Trump's emails with Ghislaine Maxwell, and an FBI 203 about Paulo Zampolli, who Inner City Press reported on at the UN before being thrown out of the UN by Antonio Guterres, introducing the first couple, on Patreon here On February 17 Melania Trump's lawyers replied, leading with the argument that there was be effective service of process. Full memo of law on Patreon here On February 24, Wolff argued "If specific personal jurisdiction over Trump has not been established, Wolff has made a sufficient showing of 302(a)(3) New York contacts to warrant a fair opportunity for discovery on that issue. See Cross-Motion, ¶6 and ¶7 (ECF 13). Wolff has shown that the 770.01 Notice– a notice that had legal consequences for Wolff in New York – establishes 302(a)(3) jurisdiction over Trump in New York" - 14 page filing on Patreon here On May 22, Judge Vyskocil dismissed the case, begining "n this case, a chronicler of the First Family sues the First Lady because she threatened to sue him for defamation. While Plaintiff and the First Lady have a real dispute, they must litigate it according to the same procedures as everyone else. Plaintiff asks for a declaration that, if the First Lady sues him, he deserves to win. That is not how the federal courts work" - 45 page Order on Patreon here On June 5 Melania Trump's lawyers wrote in asking for leave to seek sanctions, and a conference on it. Wolff opposed, but on June 16 Judge Vyskocil scheduled the conference: "Counsel for the Parties are directed to appear for a pre-motion conference on July 1, 2026, at 10:00 a.m." More on X for Subscribers here and Substack here On June 17, Wolff appealed to the Second Circuit. On July 1, Inner City Press live tweeted: All rise! Judge Vyskocil: I ruled for the First Lady, and this case is over. But there is this request to file a motion for sanctions. Let me just say, sometimes people don't think about the cost / benefit analysis, or the stress the put on the courts & resources  Judge Vyskocil: The standard until Rule 11 is an objective one, not based on the beliefs of the parties. Under Section c(5) it says the court must NOT impose a monetary sanction under certain circumstances. There's a 2000 Second Circuit case...  Judge Vyskocil: I note that the First Lady said she was not subject to the jurisdiction of this Court. I wonder if making this motion was change that. So, when if you decide to move forward with this motion do you want to file it? Melania Trump's lawyer: Thanks Melania Trump's lawyer: We will file in two weeks. Judge Vyskocil: So, July 20. Opposition? Wolff's lawyer: Can we have three weeks? I have a pre-planned vacation in August. Judge Vyskocil: August 17, reply by August 28. Anything else? No Analysis on X for Subscribers here and Substack here The SDNY case is Wolff v. Trump, 1:25-cv-10752 (Vyskocil) *** Your support means a lot. As little as $5 a month helps keep us going and grants you access to exclusive bonus material on our Patreon page. Click here to become a patron. Feedback: Editorial [at] innercitypress.com Mail: Box 130222, Chinatown Station, NY NY 10013 Reporter's mobile (and weekends): 718-716-3540 Other, earlier Inner City Press are listed here, and some are available in the ProQuest service, and now on Lexis-Nexis.  Copyright 2006-2026 Inner City Press, Inc. To request reprint or other permission, e-contact Editorial [at] innercitypress.com