Full Breakdown
Eleventh Circuit Overturns $8.2 Million Defamation Verdict in Roy Moore Case
4/25/2026, 4:53:50 AM
Core Event
On April 24, 2026, a three-judge panel of the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals vacated the $8.2 million jury award that former Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy Moore won in 2022. The panel ruled Moore, as a public figure, failed to show clear and convincing evidence of actual malice by Senate Majority PAC in its TV ad.
Background & Context
Moore’s 2017 Senate campaign was marred by reports that he solicited sexual advances from teenage girls, including a 14-year-old Santa’s helper at Gadsden mall. The allegations, reported by The Washington Post and other outlets, prompted nine women to come forward. Moore sued Senate Majority PAC, the political action committee that ran the contested ad, for libel and false-light invasion of privacy. A 2022 jury awarded $8.2 million; Moore has lost three other federal defamation suits on the same claims.
Key Figures & Groups
Roy Moore – former Alabama Supreme Court chief justice and 2017 Senate candidate;
Senate Majority PAC – the political action committee that ran the contested ad;
Judge Elizabeth L. Branch (joined by Judges Jill Pryor and Frank M. Hull);
Ezra Reese – Elias Law Group partner for the PAC;
Jeffrey Wittenbrink – Moore’s attorney.
Official Statements & Responses
Ezra Reese, representing Senate Majority PAC, called the decision a total vindication and said the ad cited accurate reporting. Jeffrey Wittenbrink, Moore’s lawyer, called the ruling disappointing and suggested a Supreme Court appeal. The Eleventh Circuit noted the record lacked clear evidence of actual malice, requiring reversal.
Criticism & Opposition
Legal scholars warned the high actual-malice standard may shield aggressive political ads and limit accountability for public figures.
Verbatim Quotes
- “This ruling is a total vindication of Senate Majority PAC and a complete repudiation of Roy Moore’s pathetic seven-year effort to weaponize the courts to launder what little remains of his reputation,” — Ezra Reese, Elias Law Group partner
- “It’s disappointing,” — Jeffrey Wittenbrink, attorney for Roy Moore
- “For the reasons that follow, we agree that the record does not contain sufficient clear and convincing evidence to support the jury’s actual malice finding,” — Judge Elizabeth L. Branch, Eleventh Circuit
- “We thus vacate the jury's verdict, reverse the denial of SMP's motion for judgment as a matter of law, and remand for entry of judgment in favor of SMP,” — Judge Elizabeth L. Branch, Eleventh Circuit
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
All sources agree the Eleventh Circuit reversed the verdict and found no clear evidence of actual malice; no contradictory accounts were reported.
What’s Next
Moore’s team is considering a petition to the U.S. Supreme Court, citing interest from at least three justices in revisiting the actual-malice standard. The PAC could also seek a rehearing before the full Eleventh Circuit, a decision that may shape future political-ad defamation law.
